Networks Back to Basics Project Update

In light of the requirement to complete our PR2 work programmes, the associated drop in customer new connections and the need to reduce our cost of delivering work, ESB Networks Ltd. needed to look at ways of improving the way we deliver work. A small project team was set up, made up of people from the different business lines across Networks.

A number of key opportunities to improve have been identified and the project team is assisting in delivering these. These include the following:

Work packs

It is important that the information a crew receives in advance of starting any job is as accurate and clear as practical. To help with this a standardised approach to the information in a work pack has been designed with designers, supervisors and network technicians and is being rolled out across the country.

The work pack is put together by the designer of the work – usually an Engineering Officer – and the local Supervisor. The standard of the information that goes into the packs is critical as this contributes to how effectively crews can operate in the field and to minimise the amount of time they have to refer back to their supervisor or designer.

There are quite a few benefits in the standard work pack:

  • For the designer, there is a checklist of all the contents that may be required in a work pack and this helps when putting the pack together. The work pack document also contains a description of each potential element in the pack and an electronic link to the detailed reference document that describes the policy in that area. For example, where Special Areas of Conservation are concerned, the document provides a link to the policy document that sets out what ESB Networks Ltd. must do to comply with the legal requirements in this area and what the work pack must contain as a result. By acting as a single source of information, the document ensures that designer has all the information they need in one place to allow them to create the work pack efficiently.
  • For Supervisors the document also contains information providing guidance on what they need to add to the work pack before handing it over to the crew.
  • For the crew there is a feedback sheet that provides them with a mechanism for comments and suggested improvements that could be made locally to the packs that they have been provided with. This is an important source of information to those who create the work pack.

The standard work pack format will be rolled out nationally shortly.

Downtime Management

Downtime is time lost where a crew cannot carry on with the work it had planned to do. It can be caused by a number of things, most of which are beyond the crews control. We all need to understand and learn from the causes of downtime and seek to eliminate them where possible. With this in mind, all managers and staff are asked to work together to report, learn from and put action plans in place to eliminate causes of downtime. Some examples of success in this area to date include the provision of extra forklifts to reduce delays is loading materials in the morning and the provision of assistance to stores staff to expedite the allocation of materials to crews at times of peak demand.

Management Development

A management development programme for all managers is part of the project to help managers focus on work delivery and the things that may be preventing our crews delivering their best. The programme encourages regular interaction among local units with a view to highlighting exceptions, generating action plans for improvement and encouraging innovation.

The B2B team members are Seamus Berry, John Connolly, Tadhg Carroll, Jim O'Sullivan, John McNieve, Podge Ussher, Declan Black, Noel Kavanagh, David Killian, Val Warren, Jim Hernan, Brian Hegarty, Mick Dillon, Billy Doyle.

If you have any ideas or suggestions any member of the team would love to hear from you.