Let’s talk about how instrument maintenance workers in chemical plants work on shift rotations ?
Thread Content
We are a manufacturer of titanium dioxide using the sulfuric acid process, and we are currently in the construction phase. We are discussing how to arrange shift work once operations start, and we would appreciate any suggestions from everyone! ! Some factories operate on a three-shift system, while others use a two-shift or four-shift system; there are also those that use a five-shift system. However, I don’t think any of these systems are suitable for instrument maintenance, as titanium dioxide production is semi-continuous, and chemical corrosion is quite common. As a result, the failure rate of certain equipment and instruments is high. In our previous company, we tried a 12-hour two-shift system, but it was too exhausting and unmanageable. Later, we switched to a three-shift system, with each shift consisting of two daytime shifts and one night shift, followed by a 24-hour break before starting another shift. In other words, one shift runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. the next day; during this time, employees can rest in the designated rest rooms at night. But once they are called to deal with a malfunction, they must go to the site to resolve it before they can return to rest. If one works for more than 3 hours in the late night, they can take a half-day off the following day. I’m not sure if this format is appropriate; I hope everyone can give some valuable suggestions! Thank you
We work on a shift system, starting work at 8 a.m., finishing at 8 a.m. the next day for a 24-hour break; we can sleep at night, but production must be ensured.
For routine maintenance tasks, we also implement a shift system, from 8 a.m. to the next morning; the duty is mainly to carry out instrument maintenance during the times when the regular day shift staff are not present (at noon and at night), and there is a dedicated duty room available for rest. We take a day off after finishing our shift. One person is responsible for one area, totaling two people. If working on shift by car, we follow the same system as the operators, with four shifts per day: 7:30–15:30, 15:30–23:30, 23:30–7:30 the next day. But all of this happens while driving; once driving is normal, routine maintenance tasks are carried out as usual. Last edited by Free Dust on 2009-3-23 10:46]
We are an oil refining company, and here we implement the same system as that used by operators, with a four-shift, three-shift rotation: 7:30–15:30, 15:30–23:30, 23:30–7:30 the next day.
The members of each group are divided into two parts: three people are on duty, while the rest work during the day shift. The duty staff start work at 8 a.m. and finish at 8 a.m. the next day, taking a 24-hour break; they can go to bed after 12 a.m. and handle repair requests at any time. Then rest for 48 hours. Everyone in the group wants to take shifts, so they take turns. The factory has always thought this approach is inappropriate, but couldn’t come up with a better solution.
Generally, someone is assigned to work at night and takes a day off the following day
Do the instruments require shift work? The staff in charge of the instruments here work regular shifts, from 8:00 to 12:00 and from 2:00 to 18:00. There are also those on duty at night as well as on weekends and holidays; everyone takes turns. The duty shift is from 18:00 to 8:00 – when there’s work to be done, they go to the site, and when there’s nothing to do, they can rest in the lounge. Instruments aren’t that easy to break, are they? Choose one that can last for a long time, at least a few years; regular maintenance will be sufficient
Our company’s instruments operate on a three-shift, two-shift rotation system. Day shift: 8:00–6:00, night shift: 6:00–8:00; if there’s nothing to do at the company at night, you can sleep there. But ensure normal production.
So your instrument technicians are all quite skilled, huh? Among our staff, the skills vary quite a bit! Some students are really difficult to deal with!
Different companies have different management styles and regulations.
Our company operates the instrumentation systems on a two-shift basis, but in most cases, those on duty for the instrumentation cannot resolve the issues. It can only be done once the instrument supervisor arrives. The night before last, the company’s DCS system showed that all its components were malfunctioning (it seemed to be a problem with the output modules), and it almost led to serious consequences. The person in charge of operating the boiler opens the furnace door to monitor the burning process and makes manual adjustments. Comrades responsible for gas production and purification, stop the machine immediately. Meters are quite important, especially for companies that are new to driving and may not be operating properly
The shift for the instrument monitoring at our company runs from 18:00 to 8:00; when there is work to be done, we go to the site to carry it out, and when there is nothing to do, we can sleep in the lounge. There are 3 people in each shift, for a total of 6 people, who take turns on odd and even shifts; the rotation occurs once a month. If there is a problem with the equipment that affects production and cannot be resolved, it is possible to call someone temporarily to handle the situation. The duty personnel are selected from each shift, with the workshop arranging shifts based on their strength in performing tasks.
The personnel in charge of the instruments here work on regular daytime shifts; at night, we assign one person to be on duty (someone who is capable of handling tasks independently). This person can sleep while on duty. If there is an issue at the site, the control room will call the person on duty. Minor issues can be resolved by that person, but if it’s a serious problem or one that affects operations, additional people will be called in to help. If there isn’t much to do at night, you still have to go to work the next day. This scale is determined by the supervisor.
It’s always annoying to be woken up at night to do work
During the trial production phase, 1/3 of the staff can be assigned to night shifts, while 2/3 can work during day shifts; after all, there are more issues during the day, and it’s easier to handle them. After normal production resumes, 1–3 personnel can be assigned to duty based on the actual conditions of the production facilities, in order to handle any unexpected issues that might affect production. Most problems can be dealt with during the day.
We assign those with more advanced technical skills to be responsible for the maintenance of instruments during the third shift; this work is carried out in sync with the third shift involved in production processes. The most skilled technicians are placed on the day shift to handle the main tasks during the day, as well as any temporary technical modifications in the workshop, instrument installation, and debugging. They also coordinate those tasks that cannot be repaired during the third shift. Those who have just started working need to spend some time on the day shift assisting with instrument installation and debugging before switching to shifts and learning the specific maintenance tasks from experienced workers.
Work normally during the day, and on a shift system at night. At the same time, it is essential to take good care of the instruments; try to resolve any issues during the day and avoid leaving problems until nightfall.
We have a rotating shift system: one day shift from 9:30 to 17:30, and one night shift from 17:30 to 9:30. Those on the night shift can go to sleep after 24:00; if there is work to be done, they are called upon. After the night shift, they get a day off, and if it happens to be the weekend, they continue to rest. The goal is to ensure that everyone is present for meetings on Tuesdays. Outside of that time, they are either on duty or resting. Most people work the day shift, while men are available to respond immediately if there is any urgent work.
We have those who work the day shift and those who work the night shift. Those on the night shift work in a four-shift rotation, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., while the night shift runs from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. the next day, with time to sleep after midnight.
We also have those who work the day shift and those who work the shift schedule; those on the shift schedule work in a four-shift, three-day rotation system, with morning, afternoon, and night shifts. Same as the operator, but alone. 8:00-16:00 16:00-24:00 0:00-8:00 It’s possible to sleep on night shifts. The work is directed by the scheduler. Day shift: 8:00–11:45, 14:00–17:45; end of shift. Maintain the site by area. Working shifts here really helps develop one’s ability to handle problems and adapt to situations. The main tasks during the day involve temporary technical modifications, instrument installation, debugging, etc., as well as coordinating those tasks that cannot be carried out by the four shifts