Pipeline operations present risks not only to the operators and the contractors who work on and around them daily – we’re used to it. It can also be a risk for your mom and dad, my kids, my and brothers, sisters. It can be risky for your wife’s friends, aunts, uncles, grandmas and granddads that live in the surrounding communities where pipeline systems are located.

Not to sound too dramatic, but their lives really are in our hands. “Our” being operators, contractors, safety professionals, OQ trainer/evaluators and each and every person up and down the line that plays a role in managing America’s pipeline system.

I don’t have to tell you that pipeline operations are subject to very stringent DOT rules and regulations not only to make sure safe operating procedures are in place, but also to make sure the systems are properly designed and are using the right equipment throughout the entire pipeline system.

Every time I see another pipeline (liquids or gas) related incident splashed across the TV, I often am as angry and frustrated with the operator or contractor involved as I am the inspector. You can bet, just prior to the incident, the last inspector to visit the offices of the operator on whose line the incident occurred – one of three things happened:

1. Wink, Wink, Nod, Nod – Great Job!

I call these non-audits or social calls.  Hey, they happen.

2. A fine here or a fine there for a missing “.” or uncrossed “t”

Otherwise referred to as a grammar lesson with a fine thrown in for good measure.

3. An audit with a significant or serious finding, with consequences ranging from large fines to line shut-downs, is a different animal altogether. These can play a pivotal role in which direction an operator takes their safety operations going forward. While follow-up is comprehensive on collecting fines and addressing noted findings the manner in which they are resolved can vary widely AND have a significant impact on whether or not ongoing corrections hold.

I call these the “Like a Box of Chocolates” audits, cause you never know what you are going to get. A serious finding is just that – serious. Irrespective of who found it, what it was, or even what the consequences were – how an auditor approaches the solution can make a huge difference.

“Lil Power Tripper” auditors often get results in a hurry, but the effects of their “dictated” resolutions are often short-lived, leaving behind a situation heavy on resentment and light on long-term solutions where similar, possibly even more serious issues could result.

Conversely, resolutions to findings that are well thought out and involve the operator in the process – so much so – that they feel a part of the solution or are invested in the solution generally come from the “I’m From the Government and I’m Here to Help” auditors (yea, I know . . . I am re-framing the term in a positive manner). These guys are few and far between, but what a blessing if you get these guys. They get it. They get that you have to comply with regulations but you also have to run a pipeline.

Pipeline operators must ensure safe operations of their pipeline systems. Specifically operators must conform to DOT Title 49 CFR Parts 190 to 195. Part 192 specifies the minimum safety requirements for gas pipelines and Part 195 specifies the minimum safety requirements for oil pipelines.

The Moral to the Story: Be Pro-active, not Reactive. Anticipate a DOT/PHMSA audit. Be acutely aware of the many “forms” they can take. If you get an auditor that does not initiate your participation in a resolution but seems to want to dictate, use the opportunity to actively involve yourself in the resolution. Show the auditor that you are serious about getting things done right.

Below are just a few of the multitude of tasks all operators should include in the safe operation of their pipeline systems to remain DOT/PHMSA audit ready:

• Develop, implement (as in – actually use), maintain and annually update DOT manuals, for pipeline operations, as well as Operations & Maintenance manuals (general and site-specific) for pipeline operations, gas gathering systems and compressor station operations
• Develop and have on hand a baseline assessment plan
• Perform a pipeline segment classification survey’s
• Conduct and document operator training and qualifications per DOT
• Develop, maintain and update a map of your entire pipeline system
• Conduct studies to identify and subsequently mitigate pipeline corrosion
• Ensure they conduct “mock” compliance audit to make sure the pipeline is designed and operating in accordance with DOT Regulations. This can be done in-house or outsourced to a third-party.

Last but not least, know where to go for assistance on the web. Here are a few useful links.

• “About” Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)
• Here is a link to Pipeline Safety E-Forms
• Regulation and Code Compliance Seminar Calendar
• Pipeline Safety Regulations
• For assistance with all things Pipeline Compliance and OQ: AYUDA Assessment Training Consulting and OQ LLC

I am not really that particular about the season in which I am exposed.  Cold frozen water intrigues me just as much a cool inviting dip on a blistering summer’s day.  Heck, I was even a lifeguard for a number in years in my younger days. I learned a lot of lessons then that I can now actually apply to project management now.

I said all of that to say this – The last three weeks, as small  business owner, have been incredibly busy (good problem to have) and especially stressful (not always a good problem to have).

Facing a tough project time line at 6 AM on a Monday morning is like falling into cold water and suffering from cold water shock that causes serious psychological and physiological responses, which if not handled properly,  can put you in a world of hurt in a big hurry.

After the initial shock of that tough project time line or business storm staring you in the face, and much like being immersed in cold water, you go into survival mode. Putting out fires as they come up but all the while keeping your eye on that deadline, as it if were an adversary. Pretty much like Linda is screaming at Billy in a Perfect Storm: “Billy? Get outta there! Come about! Let it- let it carry you out of there! What the hell are you doing? Billy! For Christ sake! You’re steaming into a bomb! Turn around for Christ sake! Billy, can ya hear me? You’re headed right for the middle of the monster! Billy?…”

A few water drops of wisdom on making it through a tough project time line or business storm:
Making it through a business storm requires, first and foremost the ability to swim. As my friend Dory ( who doesn’t LOVE Dory) once sang happily “Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming. What do we do? We swim, swim.”

You must have the ability to keep you head above water, even without flotation devices. Nope, no matter who or what does not show up or what goes wrong just perform the proverbial treading water technique as needed to keep coming up for air.

The ability to avoid panic is key.   I always have to fight the urge to listen to Quint (lame Jaws reference) when he whispers in my ear, “This shark, will swallow you whole” and replace it with another lame Jaws reference where Brody tells Hooper, “Come on Martin! Move, move, move!”

Last but not least, the ability to stay clear-headed and focused and, dare I say it, develop a little bit of an attitude.   LOVE this line from Deep Blue Sea when Preacher says “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil. For thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. Because I carry a big stick and I’m the meanest (insert bad word here) in the valley! Two sharks down, Lord! One demon fish to go! Can I get an Amen?”

One thing for sure, deadlines do pass as others peek over the horizon (Great, now I’m humming “The sun will come up tomorrow”), but THE most important thing to remember is to enjoy the little things in your  business life as they present themselves.

Here’s what I do. Don’t laugh.  I have a small notebook laying here on my desk and anything good that happens in my day – anything that makes me laugh or smile – things like those great feedback surveys, NAILING a presentation, getting that job whose bid package was, well – difficult, reaching out to my “tweet peeps” for support, that hilarious e-mail or link a business friend shared and that “Thank You” call from a client gets scribbled into this little notebook. Before I shut this computer off each night (yes, I said night), I read through them and savor them,  if only for a moment, to remind myself why I opened my own business in the first place.

It’s kind of like putting that floatee in the pool, laying back on it, and relaxing in the summer sun. Come on in, the waters fine!

How you get through your business storms?

I began by touching decades old baby blankets, baby books, running my fingers over sweet Mother’s Day’s cards made from construction paper and crayons. There were old soccer trophy’s, ballet outfits, school play videos, awards for just about anything you can imagine, coins from England – deep breath – scripts from elementary school plays, lifeguard certifications, debate camp information sheets, high school AND college graduation announcements, gowns and caps, a sock (?), a Texas Department of Safety driving test study booklet, a baggie of very tiny teeth that the “tooth fairy” honored me with, and an old family calendar from 1992 – that just wore me out to flip through.

I had opened that old chest thinking “My, how my life had changed” and closed that chest  thinking “My life “really” has NOT changed that much!”

I still:

• Am never “off duty” (small business owner)
• Skillfully work with often very different personalities who may or may not be having a good day (clients, employees, vendors etc…)
• Participate in dispute resolution (except today it’s not because someone’s pajamas are touching someone else’s pajamas – which some days I would actually prefer)
• Track, coordinate, support and participate in a wide variety of activities a day, a week, a month and sometimes annually (where do I start?)
• Have to ensure everyone’s paperwork gets signed and dated and where it needs be (delivered, filed or input – for DOT, NCCER, Veriforce, the IRS, EWN, MEA, ISN, the CPA and THIS list goes on and on)
• Answer the phone
• Monitor all computer activity (mother of all things holy – Twitter, Facebook, Linked-In, Website, Blogging etc…)
• Take photos of everything (then for fun, now for C Y A)
• Make sure there is money in the bank (billing)
• Make sure everyone get’s their allowance (paychecks)
• Have to be two and sometimes three places at one time (I literally have been talking on a conference call (via Bluetooth) while driving to another meeting, and answering client-related text messages at red lights)
• Have a calendar that makes me tired to flip through
• Give and receive hugs (these are reserved ONLY my very favorite employees, clients and vendors)

I had spent more than two and a half decades preparing to be a small business owner. Not only that, I was blessed to have the best training team anyone could ever wish for.

This blog is dedicated that team:

My handsome son Luke Christopher, who taught me that snuggling when you wake up and before the day begins is always important, and who now proudly serves his country in the United States Air Force.

My beautiful left-handed daughter Katie Christyne, who taught me that sometimes right-hands can get lonely if left unused, Puffy’s ARE important and who currently provides a very important public service as a Public Policy Analyst for the Oklahoma Policy Institute.

My stunning baby girl Callie Beth, who taught me that being tender and caring is truly a gift, and who is not surprisingly working on her Master’s Degree in Social Work at UT Austin.

These and so many other lessons learned being their Mom serve me well today and will as time goes on.

To everyone who has ever been blessed by a child in any way, I was reminded on this Mother’s Day that while it might have been my day to be honored, it was “I” that was thankful for all those many lessons.

Have A Great Week!

Operators: For those operators who do not have in-house training and operator qualification programs (OQ) they choose AYUDA because we can conduct NCCER, Energyworldnet, MEA, Veriforce and OQSG in the same visit and we specialize in traveling to the locations they need us to conduct OQ for their employees. We are also flexible enough to assist in delivering their in-house programs as required by their OQ plans.

Traditional Pipeline Services, Maintenance and Construction Providers: Many pipeline services, maintenance and contractors are subject to having their employees undergo operator qualification if they are working on a DOT covered line. If they are used to the OQ tango, they generally call with a list of covered tasks they have either previously been OQ’ed in, OR they have been provided a list of job-specific covered tasks, along with the acceptable method (knowledge-based assessment, training and/or hands-on evaluation) and providers that they will accept. (NCCER, Energyworldnet, MEA, Veriforce and OQSG).

Newcomers to the Pipeline Services, Maintenance and Construction Provider Arena: In this economy many companies are looking to enter markets that they previously had not considered. The wonderful world of Operator Qualification (OQ) can be a shocking baptism by fire to these newcomers. This is true because more often than not they have already bid a job and been awarded a contract -and then- they call to “see about” OQ and are often shocked at the complexity and costs involved with the entire OQ process, none of which they considered in their bid.
Inspectors: Since AYUDA provides mobile, on-site OQ we are often not able to meet the OQ needs of inspectors because they do not have access to a site with all the tools, materials and equipment needed to conduct the hands-on evaluations that they need.

I Am An Operator. What Info Do I Need To Have Available When Calling To Schedule Operator Qualification (OQ)?
If you are an operator you likely know what covered tasks your employees require as well as what methods (knowledge-based exams, training and/or hands-on evaluation) and tools (NCCER, Energyworldnet, MEA, Veriforce or OQSG) you need as these have to be outlined in your Operator OQ Plan. In addition to this information we will need to know the number of employees to be OQ’ed, proposed dates for training and the location (remember the location must have the necessary tools, materials, equipment and space required).

If you are a new operator, just now developing your OQ Plan, and you need assistance with these issues just let us know. Our subject matter experts are well qualified to assist you in this arena.

I am a newcomer or traditional Pipeline Services, Maintenance and/or Construction Provider. What information do I need to have available when scheduling OQ for my employees?
Seven out of ten phone calls start out the same.

John: Hi, my name is John with ABC Pipeline Construction and I need to get my guys OQ’ed.

Melinda: Hi John, you have called the right place. What covered tasks do you need OQ for?

John: I don’t know. We just got a job with XYZ Operator and they say we need it?

Let’s talk about what info is required to facilitate the process of setting up OQ for your employees.

What Operator Qualification (OQ) Info Do We Need To Secure From The Operator?
Whether you are a newcomer or traditional Pipeline Services, Maintenance and/or Construction Provider and you are seeking to have your employees OQ’ed, you need to glean the following information from the operator for which you will be working prior to calling to set-up your OQ session with AYUDA:

1. The specific covered task (CT’s) numbers and descriptions required by that specific operator. I often hear from contractors “They told me to look on ISNetworld of Veriforce”. This doesn’t really help you with this issue as the covered task lists provided for each operator in ISNetworld and Veriforce lists every covered task in their OQ plan and they do not ALL apply to you. You only need the have your employee’s OQ’ed on the covered tasks that apply to them and the operator, not you, makes that decision. You can help them but the final CT list must be blessed by them.

For instance, I have a new client who wanted to be “ready for anything,” so he went through the API-covered task list and identified over 55 tasks that his guys “might” do. That is effectively 90+ hours of OQ, and this is with just one method (hands-on evaluations) and OQ tool (NCCER). What if he ends up with a contract with an operator who does not accept NCCER or requires OQ in addition to what the contractor has already spent many man hours and OQ expenses on? So, stepping back, I was able to convince the client that developing his internal OQ program by gathering specific CT requirements from the operators he will be working was a more prudent approach.

2. Identify the method (knowledge-based exams, training and/or hands-on evaluation) and accepted tool (NCCER, Energyworldnet, MEA, Veriforce or OQSG) that the operator will accept for the CT list they provided. If you can get the CT list and your operator participates in either ISNetworld or Veriforce, AYUDA can actually assist in making these determinations for you. If they do not, then the operator must provide you with this information.

What Additional Information Do I Need To Have Available When I call To Set-Up OQ for My Employees?
You will need to have the following information available:
1. Company Name and Address
2. Company Contact Name, Phone and E-Mail Address
3. The number of employees to be OQ’ed
4. Proposed dates for training
5. The location*
*Reminder: The location must have the necessary tools, materials, equipment and space required

Why Choose AYUDA’s Operator Qualification Services?
AYUDA utilizes pipeline industry professionals who have the expertise demanded for Operator Qualification needs. Our instructors/trainers use the tools provided by NCCER training and assessment, Energyworldnet, OQSG, Veriforce and MEA to conduct knowledge assessment and performance verifications for operator identified covered tasks.

AYUDA’s staff strictly adheres to ALL provider guidelines, especially those that require hands-on performance evaluations. This ensures your certifications will always remain in good standing with providers & ISNetworld.

Some training/certification organizations take shortcuts in this regard leaving you open to prompt OQ disqualification when an offending provider sponsor is audited. Don’t take the chance of wasting valuable resources with these organizations.

We would be honored to serve you. Please call us contact us by phone (405) 293-3099 or by e-mail.

Hey, don’t you just love regulations?  They are my favorite.  Okay, I’m being facetious, but they are an everyday fact-of-life for most businesses. Allow me to outline what is required of the drivers and safety personnel in an effort to assist you in understand the process and reasoning behind the regulations pertaining to the Driver Qualification Files, and record keeping.

In the interest of safety on our highways, every company involved in interstate transportation by definition of the Federal Department of Transportation is determined to be a motor carrier subject to all federal motor carrier safety regulations (FMCSRs) found in federal code 49 CFR Parts 382-399. Any company employing commercial drivers must abide by the parts of the regulations that apply to the employer, and each employer must instruct each commercial driver regarding their responsibilities under these federal safety regulations.

As a requirement under 49 CFR part 391, each employer is required to establish and maintain Driver Qualification Files on each commercial driver it employs, and to make those DQFs available to the DOT in the event of an audit or accident, or investigation by a state or federal agency.

Driver Qualification File Q and A

Q) Do the DQF Requirements Apply To Our Company?
A) All for hire, and/or private companies engaged in interstate transportation are subject to all FMCSRs including establishing Driver Qualification Files. Even owner-operators must maintain a DQF on themselves.

Q) DQF Requirements
A) Each commercial driver must have a file entitled Drivers Qualification File (DQF), which is maintained separately from personnel records. Each DQF contains all required driver safety information as mandated by Part 391. This file must contain at minimum the following information. Important changes under 391.23 became effective October 29, 2004 and are included below:

•                  Driver’s Application for Employment
•                  An Inquiry into the Driver’s Driving Record from Every State Where Driver Held a CDL or Operators Permit during Past Three Years
•                  An Investigation into the Driver’s Employment Record
•                  Safety Performance History For Previous Three Years
•                  Drug and Alcohol Testing Information For Previous Three Years from any DOT Regulated Employer
•                  Annual review of driving records
•                  Annual Drivers Record of Violations
•                  Copy of valid Medical Card
•                  Copy of Valid CDL
•                  Certificate of Road Test or Equivalent
•                  Driver’s statement of On-Duty Hours for Newly Hired Drivers

Q) What is the definition of a Commercial Driver in Regards to a DQF?
A) Commercial drivers are those drivers capable of driving any vehicle in excess of 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight and/or transports more than 1000 pounds of hazardous materials.

Q) Why Does The DOT Require So Much Information About Drivers?
A) In a word, safety. These rules were put into effect to protect you, me, and the general public who have the right not to be killed or injured while traveling on our highways. Unsafe, disqualified drivers cannot be allowed to operate on public highways

Q) How Much Time Do We Have To Establish A DQF for New Drivers?
A) Federal statute requires that each new driver have a completed DQF within thirty days of employment

Q) How involved is the investigation of Driving Records
A) The employer must contact all appropriate state agencies to request the driving record for each state where the driver held a CDL or operators permit in the past three years

Q) What Is the Extent Of An Investigation Into The Driver’s Employment History?
A) The investigation must include communication with every past employer listed on the application for the preceding three years. Established DOT procedures are in place to satisfy this federal requirement in the event previous employers cannot or will not provide the required information. Employers now must notify the FMCSA of previous employer violations.

Q) Safety Performance History
A) This requirement began October 29, 2004. When employers hire new drivers, they must request from all previous employers in the past 3 years additional information regarding both accidents and the drug and alcohol testing history of their driver. Document the request and file the response.

Q) What If We Fail To Implement DQFs for Our Commercial Drivers?
A) Failure to establish and maintain Driver Qualification Files carries a civil penalty under existing regulations. Under section 521 of the federal code, any person or company who is determined to have committed an act which is in violation of the Motor Carrier Safety Act, may be assessed a civil penalty not to exceed $1,000 per offense.

Q) Can My Company Easily Comply with This Requirement?
A) Certainly, a third party administrator knowledgeable about DQ files can be retained to cost-effectively handle this DOT requirement for your company. TPA’s have the knowledge, expertise and ability to quickly and easily help your company meet this requirement.

You will save yourself time, frustration but most of all money by ensuring you are DOT/CSA/FMSCA Audit ready at all times.

Please call Melinda Traynor at 405-293-3099 or contact her by e-mail at info@ayudallc.com if we can assist your with your transportation compliance needs.

As a child, if you broke something or made a mess at my grandmother’s and we would say how sorry we were and that we didn’t “mean” to, that was always followed by a hug and the phrase “that’s why they’re called accidents and not on-purposes”.

Of course as children we were grateful for grandmother’s patience and understanding, but accidents in the construction and oil and gas industries can result in at best significant loss of property, and at its worst loss of life or limb.  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to” just does not cut it.  Fortunately, however, there’s no reason your employees need to rely on the knowledge gained after past mistakes and missteps to prevent such problems from recurring in the future. Rather, taking a proactive approach to safety training can help keep employees safe, preventing unfortunate accidents and incidents from ever occurring in the first place.

Safety training should always be a crucial part of every contractor and/or operator’s overall training program. These days’ employers have a large variety of options to select from in regards to safety training, including the choice between online safety training programs and face-to-face training. Although many employers are content with the traditional, face-to-face mode of safety training they’ve always been using, multiple studies have shown that in a head-to-head comparison online safety training offers multiple advantages.

Online Safety Training for the Over 50 Field-Hand
In my humble opinion, I doubt these studies include field hands in their mid to late 50’s that rarely, if ever, have touched a computer. This does not take them out of the online learning arena but it should be a consideration when exposing them to online training and testing. It’s not that they don’t know their “safety stuff,” they do.  They likely have been through safety training more than once over the years but these big, scruffy guys can be easily intimidated by a screen, keyboard and mouse. It might be a good idea to ensure that you have a computer savvy person available to assist and provide reassurance to these guys if you are going to require them to participate in online safety training.

Face-to-Face Safety Training for the Younger Crowd (First-Timers)
Without a doubt, online computer training is the preferred method of the younger crew members. They have grown up with them.  They don’t remember a time without them. Having said that, for the younger crowd, even though online training can be effective to a degree, I still feel like the FIRST time someone goes through OSHA 10 (or any safety training for that matter) it should be face-to-face. The discussion and question and answer sessions, the safety-related tales the instructor and others in the class share provide a real-world link in way that online training cannot. Again, that is just my opinion based on providing adult training for a number of years now. After that first time, for all re-certifications, this is THE way to go for your computer-friendly employees.

The Benefits of Online Safety Training
Online safety training is shown to be more time-efficient and convenient. In fact, reports have shown that online safety training can take between 25-75% less time to train than in a face-to-face situation.  All employers and employees alike will certainly be able to appreciate the convenience and simplicity of an online training program. Instead of having to coordinate and rearrange the busy work schedules of your employees to get them to attend one, or more likely, multiple, face-to-face training sessions, your training manager can set up and execute an entire training session online with just a couple clicks of a mouse. This way, employees can complete safety training at a time and location that’s convenient for them and that won’t necessarily interrupt their work schedules.

While speed and convenience are certainly significant advantages, making sure your employees are retaining the material at hand is most important when carrying out safety training. Once again, employees that receive multimedia (online training that includes, audio, visuals and text) instruction are shown to have 25-50% higher retention rates over those receiving content through standard classroom instruction. What this shows so far is that online safety training is proven to save time, offer a convenient and efficient training solution, and enable employees to recall information at a higher rate than traditional face-to-face training.

However, face-to-face instruction is preferred (or in some cases required) over online training in certain circumstances, such as CPR and First Aid certification, for example.  Even that seems to be changing with time.  Besides a few exceptional situations like these, however, online safety training still offers many benefits over face-to-face trainings. Another benefit is providing consistent content.  Live speakers can certainly be active and engaging, the problem is that different groups of employees could receive slightly varied information during each training session. With online safety training, on the other hand, the variance in content delivery is 20-40% less than with instructor-led training, ensuring that a wide array of employee receives the same information.

For all of these reasons, coupled with the fact that employees have the option to train at their own pace, often in a comfortable location of their choosing, lead to increased employee satisfaction when using online safety training.

AYUDA offers Online Safety Training
All courses featured on AYUDA’s online training site (powered by 360 Training) include integrated audio, text, graphics, animation, quizzes and final assessments. These courses integrate industry accredited e-learning content, increases workforce productivity and reduce allow for Regulatory & Compliance Training simplified.

Some of the most popular topics include:

OSHA Outreach Training

• 10 Hour Construction Outreach
• 10 Hour Construction Outreach – Spanish
• 30 Hour Construction Outreach
• 10 Hour General Industry Outreach
• 30 Hour General Industry Outreach

OSHA Hazardous Waste Training

• Hazwoper 40 Hour Course
• Hazwoper 24 Hour Course
• Hazwoper 8 Hour Refresher
• First Responder Awareness Level – 4hr
• First Responder Operations Level – 8hr
• DOT Hazmat General Awareness

AYUDA offers a wide variety of online training as well. We offer bulk discounts for companies needing to train multiple employees or train on multiple topics. Please visit http://ayudallc.com/online-courses to begin training today.

Special Discount Code:

AYUDA is offering discounts in April for any of the OSHA courses listed above.  Just send an e-mail to info@ayudallc.com with your Company Name, Company Address, Your Name, Title, and E-mail Address and we will send you the discount code!

“Improve your short game.” That’s golf-speak for chopping strokes off your handicap. In supervisory-speak it’s related to cutting down the number of times you have to re-direct your employees. In a very large nutshell – learning to communicating effectively. It’s always the same—whether I’m addressing this issue individually with a supervisor or superintendent, or speaking to a group about effective people management. Much like golf, where improving your pitching, chipping, and putting, as well as your bunker play, communicating effectively to your employees has many aspects, all of which are important to your overall success

This can be easier said than done, especially on-the-job. After all you are trying to get the job done and who has time for all that psycho mumbo jumbo. Well, as the old saying goes “pay me now or pay me later”. As the supervisor or superintendent you can either take the time now to develop more effective communication skills to manage your employees or you can take the time along the way in arguing with your employees, constantly directing and redirecting, dealing with low-productivity and long punch lists.

So which is it? Are you willing to work on your short-game now? 

Let The Lie Tell You What To Do
In golf, each lie is individual. Depending on what you end up with defines what club you use and perhaps how you adjust your stance. You would never think twice about making these adjustments to ensure a better golf score. This is exactly the same with your employees and yourself for that matter. Each employee is different. They may differ in age, gender, upbringing, character and the manner in which they process information. While all of these develop the behavior of your employee, the one that should matter most to you is the manner in which they process information. What is keeping you from making needed adjustments to your employee management style to ensure a better project outcome?

What does “the manner in which they process information” mean to you? This is the process whereby your employees take your direction, instruction and blueprints and interpret, internalize and then carry those out on the jobsite.

Do any of these guys sound familiar?

Joe – I have to give Joe the same directions and instructions over and over again. It’s almost like he forgets what I say as he is walking away. It gets so frustrating I just want to throttle him!

Frank – I can give Frank direction and instructions and he will turn around and ask me “So, you want me to do this, that or another, using this, that or the other, by this time?” I just look at him and think did I not JUST say that to you. Why are you asking me that? Then later in the day, Frank will come back and ask me another 100 questions related to what I instructed him to do. What is with this guy?

John – John is so tentative. I can give him instructions or directions and I will do a job walk and I will see him just standing there staring at “whatever it is I asked him to do” like it’s going to do itself. I get so frustrated that I just do the first one myself, telling him all the time we have to increase productivity. After that he seems to do fine, but why do I always have to show him? He just has no motivation!

Pitch With Your Body
The best pitchers use a lot of body; the worst use almost none. When we talk effective communication skills for supervisors or superintendents, we can make a similar analogy. Your brain is a part of your body. The best supervisors in the construction industry use a lot of brainpower to manage their employees; the worst use almost no-brainpower to manage their employees. You know those guys, the screamers that use intimidation and put-downs to manage their workforce.

Let’s talk about brains; yours and your employees. Everyone processes information. Everything we see, feel and touch is information that our brains process. Everyone processes information differently.

Do you know how YOU process information? When your boss calls you, or you are in a meeting and are directed to do something, how do you interpret, internalize and carry out those directions? Once you a “hear” your directions, do you ask follow up questions and re-state what you heard and perhaps engage in discussion? After all that, do you walk away and with the feeling you “got it” and you’re good to go?

No?

OK, once you a “hear” your directions, do you take detailed notes (messy or neat), draw sketches or doodles, make lists in your office to organize the information until you have a clear plan in your head and you’re good to go?

No?

Hmmm. Well, how about once you a “hear” your directions, do you take notes, draw detailed sketches, pour over the drawings, make lists or outline specifics on the whiteboard in your office (using differing colors or not), pour over blueprints, but it doesn’t really all come together for your until you can walk the job or proposed jobsite visualizing what needs to go where, etc.?

What I just described for you were the three primary ways that people process information. They are:

1. Auditory
2. Tactile
3. Visual

Let’s use this information to go back and review the behavior of your employees from earlier in the blog.

Joe – I have to give Joe the same directions and instructions over and over again. It’s almost like he forgets what I say as he is walking away. It gets so frustrating I just want to throttle him!

Joe is a tactile learner. He processes, internalizes and carries out directions by touch. Joe needs to carry a small notepad and pencil in his shirt pocket at all times. Have him take that pad and pencil out and write down the details of your instructions. This simple task can help a tactile learner embed that info in their brain. Additional avenues of communication for tactile learners could also include giving instructions over a set of blueprints, where Joe can touch and feel what it is you are asking him to do. Consider giving him a cut out of the blue print that applies to your instruction for him to put in his shirt pocket for latter reference. If you are asking him to do a complicated task, or series of tasks, having him “perform” these tasks and then providing feedback the first time can also be useful.

Frank – I can give Frank direction and instructions and he will stand there and he will turn around and ask me “So, you want me to do this, that or another, using this, that or the other, by this time?” I just look at him and think did I not JUST say that to you. Why are you asking me that? Then later in the day, Frank will come back and ask me another 100 questions related to what I instructed him to do? What is with this guy?

Frank is an auditory learner. He processes, internalizes and carries out your directions by re-stating your instruction. Auditory learners ask a thousand questions, they process info through discussion, and rarely need to write a thing down. So instead of wondering what is wrong with Joe, work with his learning style. Ask if he has questions, engage him in a discussion with the instruction embedded in it, and lead him in the discussion with leading questions.

John – John is so tentative. I can give him instructions or directions and I will do a job walk and I will see him just standing there staring at “whatever it is I asked him to do” like it’s going to do itself. I get so frustrated that I just do the first one myself, telling him all the time we have to increase productivity. After that he seems to do fine, but why do I always have to show him? He just has no motivation!

John is a visual learner. He processes, internalizes and carries out directions using visuals or visualization. When giving John instructions, you might want to be in front of a whiteboard and literally “draw him a picture” while you’re talking; he can hear you, but he is processing info by “seeing” what you are saying. Additional avenues of communication for visual learners could also include giving instructions using the blueprints to focus his attention while you talk. Or rather than giving John instructions in the job trailer, take him out to the site on the job where he will be working and give him instructions by drawing a visual picture where existing structures are, and where John can “see” what you are saying.

These are simple techniques you can employ that will help you better communicate with your employees that can contribute to less re-direction, fewer errors, more production, and shorter punch lists.

Are you willing to improve your supervisory game?

Regenerate – As a small business owner who works a jillion hours a week, I feel slightly hypocritical talking about this topic but is very important for your employees – your team – your players. Down-time is a time to get everyone on your team healthy. Employees and management alike. In today’s construction and oil and gas industries we are pushed to do more with less and this includes pushing your employees to work more hours, longer days and/or weeks. However, it’s important for them to spend time with their family, friends and loved ones. Our seasons as construction and oil and gas industry players get very long, especially if we are dedicated and successful. Encourage your team to stop every once in awhile and focus on other things besides work. Nothing brought this point home more poignantly than having recently attending the funeral of a co-worker, who died too young.

Replenishing/Recruiting – Recruiting for some of us is so important to build the foundation of your team for the next season and years to come. It can be as easy as networking with prospective players, sending emails and keeping in touch to as rough as placing that dreaded “ad” in search of specific team players. Regardless of the approach you take make sure to ask them about things other than work. It is important that they feel that you value them as people as well as potential players. 

Strength – Make sure that your employees feel empowered as much as possible. Allowing them to make key decisions develops a strength within them that will carry them through the season. Implement employee support systems within your company that translate to the field. This can be as simple as having an open door policy that allows your empowered employees to discuss decisions they are about to make, or have made, to implementing a mentor program to providing training opportunities for all player levels. It is great to see those fabulously framed “inspired messages” on the wall, but if the message is not tangible or accessible to your employee players it won’t be any use to your team during the season.

Flexibility – Functional flexibility is key to you, and to training your management and your players. It is important to be aware that not everyone approaches a task or processes training information in the same manner you do. Showing flexibility with your managers models for them that it is okay to allow a flexible approach in managing and training your players.

Core Stability – Core stability should be the centerpiece of your organization. It is so important for your management and players, and yet it is one of the most overlooked aspects in training them. You might consider including your company’s core concepts, missions, or goals at the beginning of every meeting or training opportunity so that it does not become an afterthought in your organization. Remember, however, that words are words. For every core concept, mission, or goal statement you reinforce, it better be backed with “action.” The core is the bridge of your company with you at the helm, your managers and players in the middle, and your product and services symbolizing the other side of the bridge. If the middle of the bridge is not strong, then the bridge will implode on itself. Dare I say it, with the arrival of the Generation Y’ers on the job site, core stability MUST become a focus for your company. It is imperative they be made to feel valued. If you incorporate five minutes every day to core stability, you will see improvement in your players’ productivity on the field.

Speed – Training goals need not focus only on straight away speed, but on efficient running form. How you plan to make it down the field for the long-haul. You have the time to slow down and perfect deficiencies in players’ communication and technical skills during “down” times. Rainy days or the slower periods throughout the season are prefect times to meet these training goals, but not if you are not prepared. It is important for players to sharpen their skills. It will eliminate injuries and improve their efficiency and production on the field.

Agility – This goes along with speed, but you also want to focus on your players’ change of direction ability. It is important to encourage and grow their ability to think on their feet, to use their critical thinking skills to address issue that are always coming up in the field.

Conditioning – In football terms, conditioning means the amount of oxygen that a player can breathe in at a given time. What does oxygen do for a player’s body? It feeds the vital organs and allows for maximum cognitive ability. This easily translates into business terms. Who or what serves as the oxygen in your business? Whoever that person is, or whatever that process is, is  solely responsible keeping the vital organs of your business thriving and ensuring your players are operating at maximum cognitive ability. Think about that for a second. That is a huge statement. In football, athletic conditioning is a year-round process because if you wait until August to condition your athletes, it will be too late.

What are you doing to condition your players?
Initial Reads – I love this one. In the business world “initial reads” are employed from the board room to the field. It’s that initial assessment, that gut feel if you will. The ability for you, your managers and your players to not only know what they are seeing in front of them while in the board room or in the field but that they understand the progression of a play as it unfolds in front of them is immensely important. The ability of your players make that “initial read” and to use their critical thinking skills to complete a task often means the difference between safe or unsafe work habits, success and failure, and customer satisfaction or dissatisfaction. They should know where they are going and how to adjust to the movement of the play in front of them so that the adjustments needed are second nature to their movement.

You might get overwhelmed at the thought of the logistics, the cash outlay and wonder what the Return on Investment (ROI) would be, even if you invest the resources. Apart from the possibility of lowering your insurance rates (see number 10), including training in your overall risk-management strategy and making your bid packages stand-out there are studies that suggest an organized employee training program produce significant Return on Investment (ROI) in other areas.

My grandfather, Orvin Lee Jumper Sr., owned his own dirt contracting (O.L. Jumper Dirt Contractors, Ranger, TX) firm in the 50’s and 60’s.  As the oldest grandchild, I often (willingly) found myself in his care while he worked on equipment or on a jobsite. I was also one of those kids who would get frustrated attempting complex tasks and I remember him saying on more than one occasion “Honey, how do you eat an elephant?” and I would giggle and we would say together, “One bite at a time.”  There is a lot of wisdom in that old joke, and it has served me well over the years.

In today’s world, AYUDA has applied that same “one bite at a time” philosophy to a project we have undertaken for the country of Mexico.  We have been tasked (as part of a larger team) to develop, implement and deliver a comprehensive oil and gas industry operator training and qualification program for their sole oil and gas industry producer, Petroleos Mexicanos or PEMEX.

As one might imagine, developing, implementing and delivering a training and qualification program for an entire country took our breath away.  That is, until I was reminded “how we eat an elephant.”  A pilot program was the best and most logical solution for a project of this magnitude.  Now, 2 years into the ongoing project, we have successfully and efficiently completed Phase One, which included the development, implementation and delivery of training and qualification to 300 PEMEX oil and gas industry operators.

A pilot program in its purest form serves as a tentative model for future, larger implementation. It is a carefully designed effort to develop and implement a program with targeted goals. Pilot programs allow for unforeseen adjustments, both large and small, that seamlessly blend into the primary program on a smaller scale. At the conclusion of a pre-determined period, the program is evaluated and refined before moving into full implementation.

Alternatively, one can plan for a multi-stage pilot program, bringing in pre-determined groups at established intervals. In either case, a well-managed pilot program can garner positive attention from management and field staff as well as being an excellent public relations and/or marketing opportunity.

Whether you are considering construction craft or trade training, licensure preparatory classes or oil and gas industry technician or operator qualification training, I would suggest that whatever assessment or training option or tools you choose, you seriously consider a pilot program approach to implementation.

Have any of you considered or implemented training programs in your companies recently?  If so, what were the pros/cons the development and implementation to date?

Hydraulic fractures may be natural or man-made, and are extended by internal fluid pressure which opens the fracture and causes it to extend through the rock. Natural hydraulic fractures include volcanic dikes, sills, and fracturing by ice – as in frost weathering. Man-made fluid-driven fractures are formed at depth in a borehole and extend into targeted formations. The fracture width is typically maintained after the injection by introducing a proppant into the injected fluid. Proppant is a material, such as grains of sand, ceramic, or other particulates, that prevent the fractures from closing when the injection is stopped.

Environmental and Health/Safety Concerns
There is a fair amount of controversy that goes hand-in hand with the current manner in which fracing is being administered. Some of those concerns include not only environmental issues but basic safety and health concerns. These have emerged and are being debated at both the state and federal levels.  Some of those concerned about current fracing techniques register the following concerns:

1. Ground water contamination
2. Lower air quality
3. Gas and hydraulic fracturing chemicals reaching the surface
4. The mishandling of waste related to fracing

Locations with “possible” related to local fracing operations in the area include:

Dimock, Pennsylvania where CNN reports gas migration from the fracing process into water aquifers near the city.

Clearfield County, PA where there was a well blew out that spewed natural gas and 35,000 gallons of drilling fluid across rural Pennsylvania causing hat is being described as “moderate” environmental impact.

Wyoming Water Well Testing resulted in the EPA issuing this statement: The affected well owners were advised not to drink the water at the recommendation of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, and told to use alternate sources of water for drinking and cooking, agency officials said. In all fairness, it is important to note that agency officials have said publicly that the EPA has not reached any conclusions about the sources of chemical compounds found in drinking water wells, including hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” the controversial process used to extract natural gas from underground.

Hydraulic Fracturing
There is a great website sponsored by Chesapeake Energy called HydraulicFracturing.com. It talks in depth about not only the process, but also the recipe for the fracturing fluids, the State (and other regulatory bodies depending on the location of the fracing operations) requirements for groundwater protection, the use of water in the fracing process, and specifically Chesapeake’s Green Frac™ program.

Hydraulic Fracturing – The Process
Simplified Steps In Hydraulic Fracturing

1. Water, sand and additives are pumped at extremely high pressures down the wellbore.

2. The liquid goes through perforated sections of the wellbore and into the surrounding formation, fracturing the rock and injecting sand or proppants into the cracks to hold them open.

3. Experts continually monitor and gauge pressures, fluids and proppants, studying how the sand reacts when it hits the bottom of the wellbore, slowly increasing the density of sand to water as the frac progresses.

4. This process may be repeated multiple times, in “stages” to reach maximum areas of the wellbore. When this is done, the wellbore is temporarily plugged between each stage to maintain the highest water pressure possible and get maximum fracturing results in the rock.

5. The frac plugs are drilled or removed from the wellbore and the well is tested for results.

6. The water pressure is reduced and fluids are returned up the wellbore for disposal or treatment and re-use, leaving the sand in place to prop open the cracks and allow the gas to flow.

By visiting this Hydraulic Fracturing – The Process site you can view some very clear and concise graphics related to the fracing process.

The Recipe for Fracturing Fluids
Fracturing fluids contain water, sand and other additives that allow fracturing to be performed in a safe and effective manner. Additives used in hydraulic fracturing fluids include a number of compounds found in common consumer products. Both a written and graphical breakdown of these additives can be found here: Fracturing Ingredients

Groundwater Protection
As stated previously, State oil and gas regulatory programs place great emphasis on protecting groundwater. Current well construction requirements consist of installing multiple layers of protective steel casing surrounded by cement. These elements are specifically designed and installed to protect freshwater aquifers. Companies carrying out fracing projects are required to work together with federal, state, and local agencies to ensure that water used for deep shale gas development is consistent with water use plans and does not cause problems with water “consumers” in or near the fracing project.

More information on Chesapeake specific Groundwater Protection efforts and lots of great facing fact sheets including info on Barnett Shale, Fayetteville Shale, Haynesville Shale, and Marcellus Shale  please visit: Groundwater Protection

It is also important to note that the Ground Water Protection Council (GWPC) issued a report in April of 2009 called Modern Shale Gas Development In The United States: A Primer (this Primer is a GREAT research resource for beginners like myself in understanding the history and process of fracing) that basically states that the potential for fracing deep shale gas wells will impact groundwater is extremely remote, as low as one in 200 million.

Water Usage
Water is an essential component of deep shale gas development during both the drilling and hydraulic fracturing, or fracing, processes. Chesapeake and other companies use water for drilling, where a mixture of clay and water is used to carry rock cuttings to the surface, as well as to cool and lubricate the drillbits. Drilling a typical deep shale gas well requires between 65,000 and 600,000 gallons of water.

The Water Usage page of Chesepeake’s site goes into greater detail and makes comparisons that even a novice like myself can understand.

Conclusion
I am admittedly pro oil and gas industry. I will also admit that fracing is the only process that has raised my “common sense” radar in a very long time. Likely because this is a process I know the least about and have had very little interaction with, so I continue to research to try to understand the science behind hydraulic fracturing. Of course there are “anti-fracing” groups and websites popping up all over, but so far they seem only to be “very strong opinions” and not based on science. For this blogger, I will continue to keep an open mind, support the oil and gas community in their fracing efforts but continue to educate myself.

I just can’t seem to shake shake this weird, “this is going to come back and bite us in ten years” feeling.

Is anyone else having this feeling?