Page 270 - TPM A Route to World-Class Performance

244 TPM-A Route to World-Class Performance

Wherever possible, the washery team is being involved in the day-to-day
running of operations. It’s no longer regarded just as the foreman’s
responsibility - the buck stops at every man.
According to the Marketing and Quality Control Manager, Peter Bottrill,
Total Productive Mining is seen to be effective both in bringing changes and
encouraging participation. He says:

The men are becoming a vehicle for change through their
commitment to the TPM concept. This isn’t a passing fancy -
we’re asking if there’s a better way of doing a task or using a
particular piece of equipment.
Total Productive Mining is an essential aid to efficiency. And
everyone - from sampling to rapid loading bunkers -has a part
to play.
Being invited to take responsibility in the running of the business gave
birth to dramatic improvements on a crusher, about nine months old, where
unwanted hessian bags with the ’run of mine’ were taking their toll and
hitting productivity.
Peter brought together the men associated with the crusher, which was
clocking up delays equivalent to 10 per cent of the plant’s standing downtime
each week. ’Coal washing often had to stop because that part of the operation
kept failing,’ he said.
By pushing as much responsibility for improving the efficiency of the
crusher down the line as he could, the 35-man team has grasped the opportunity
with both hands.
With facilitator, Tim Rawlings, who has been a foreman for ten years, the
team carried out time running monitoring as a fuller picture emerged of the
delays being experienced at the plant, which is designed to process 600 tonnes
of ’run of mine’ coal an hour. The result is a refurbishment plan for the infeed
to the crusher and installing bag catchers which have had an immediate and
dramatic effect.
The team has regular meetings to review progress and is now preparing to
take its quality message to other parts of the plant.
Says Peter: ’Because we put the problem across to the lads to solve
themselves, they have developed a pride in their om plant and a sense of
ownership.’
The knock-on result is a major clean-up programme. Real time is being given
over to asset care, which has become the new buzz phrase on everyone’s lips.
Just as important, management has provided the time and the means -
and is letting the men get on with the job. The bottom line result is improvements
in washing time being achieved.
As Tim says:
Team work is being encouraged as never before. Our core team
is a mixture of operators and maintainers who are working
together and learning about each other’s problems.