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Sandia National Laboratories, California Interdisciplinary Team (IDT) Review Process of Proposed Site Projects and Activities. Gary Shamber, Manager, Environmental Management November, 2006.
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Sandia National Laboratories, CaliforniaInterdisciplinary Team (IDT) Review Process of Proposed Site Projects and Activities Gary Shamber, Manager, Environmental Management November, 2006 Sandia is a multi program laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed Martin Company,for the United States Department of Energy under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.
Set The Stage – the problem. • In 1992 a new Facilities manager was frustrated with the ES&H review of facilities projects. ES&H review was considered somewhat of a check-the-box exercise after design was essentially complete. • Review was conducted in series by routing the design package. • 3 to 6 week review time was not uncommon. • Sat in queue to be reviewed by those who ultimately had no interest or input. • Not uncommon to get conflicting requirements/input. • For important projects or those on a tight schedule we would “walk them through.” • If a significant ES&H issue was identified that had not been considered, it sometimes: • required the engineer to redesign • negated purchased material • affected an established project schedule
The proposal • Let’s get all the ES&H SMEs together in one place at the same time each week. • Let’s get the facilities project managers to come to this group and discuss their projects during the planning stage. • Let’s make the reviews short by not attempting to solve issues. Instead…. • Let’s identify the issues that will need to be resolved and those individuals who will need to be involved to resolve them.
IDT Was Born 1992
Immediate Results • Time dedicated to project reviews reduced by >50%. • Eliminated conflicts of ES&H feedback. • Quality of facilities project planning improved. • Improved partnership between ES&H and Facilities.
There were growing pains • What needs to be reviewed by IDT? • Should IDT be voluntary or mandatory? • When’s the right time to present a project / activity to IDT? • What about project issues other than those related to ES&H?
What needs IDT review? • Any new project or activity of significance. • Generally anything non-routine. • Changes to a routine process. • Examples: facilities projects, maintenance procedures, new lab experiments, new programs, site activities (celebrations, open house, Earth day, etc.)
Voluntary or mandatory? • Initially IDT was voluntary. We wanted to offer an alternative review process and through time demonstrate that it was in the customer’s best interest to use it. • Later, IDT was made mandatory for all facilities projects. • Eventually, IDT review was made a mandatory site practice for all projects.
When’s the right time to come to IDT? • Good time is….Once you thoroughly understand what needs to be done and how you would like to do it. • Before you complete a design. • Before you commit to a schedule. • Before you issue a contract. • Before you purchase material. • Large or long duration projects should perform multiple IDTs at key stages.
Project issues other than ES&H • Many projects have issues that bridge between ES&H, facilities and security (adjacencies, safety v security design, changes in space allocation and ownership, scheduling). • Facilities and security were added as permanent members of IDT about 3 years ago.
IDT Today • The IDT provides a “one-stop shop” to obtain preliminary and interim ES&H, Facilities and Security review of projects and activities. • IDT is also offered as a forum to review proposed ES&H-related corrective actions or discuss organizational ES&H compliance, issues or difficulties. • The IDT consists of subject matter expert representatives from all Environmental, Safety and Health (ES&H) subject areas, Facilities and Security. • IDT serves as a NEPA trigger.
IDT - Desired Outcome • Surface and clarify the significant ES&H, physical security and facility issues (safety design, adjacencies, construction safety, traffic, capabilities) associated with a proposed project. • Provide guidance to the customer for further project / action development. • Identify the SMEs who will need to work with the customer in follow-up meetings or interactions to resolve the issues, get approvals, completing permits, etc.
IDT Process • Requests are made to the IDT Point-of-Contact any time. • IDTs are scheduled for Thursday mornings. Special or urgent requests are accommodated. • Primary IDT SMEs or the designated backups attend. • 10-30 minute presentation is conducted by requester. Covers: what/where/when’s of the project/action, how they are planning to execute it, what they perceive as the ES&H issues. • Presentations are recorded in case any SME needs to later review a particular comment or discussion detail. • At the end of each presentation each SME in turn surfaces any issue and indicates whether they will need to be further involved. • Presenters receive a report by COB Monday identifying the issues and who will need to be involved to help the customer resolve the issues.
Challenges • Some customers come to IDT looking for blanket approval. • Expensive for simple or benign projects/actions. • Thresholds when to engage IDT are subjective. • Customers coming to IDT late in project development.
IDT – Residual Benefits • Keeps ES&H, Security, and Facilities SMEs knowledgeable of upcoming site projects/activities. • Creates a cross functional learning environment and teamwork among IDT members. • Improves ES&H, Security, & Facilities visibility and customer relations.
Sample Feedback Comments FY06 • “Not sure if I have approval to continue.” • “Great process & value.” • “Painless & great.” • “Quick, and not over-burdensome.” • “Unclear when to involve IDT.” • “Great system, works well.” • “Meeting & discussions were great.” • “Professional & straight forward.”
Case Study 1 • A facilities project was presented to IDT to modify a high pressure test building that had been on the site demo list for some time. The discussion exposed a much larger program. • The line customer was requested to present to IDT. Several line customers participated. • It was discovered that the proposed test facility project was but the initial step of a much larger site program to do large quantity hydrogen work in not only the test facility but other buildings as well. • There was also evidence of a space conflict between several organizations due to the project.
Case Study 1 • IDT worked with the line customer(s) to coordinate many of the program issues: • The safety design basis of the test facility was reviewed to assure it could handle the expected explosive potentials. • Safety analysis performed on the work to be performed in the other facilities. • Adjacencies were considered. • Building safety systems were coordinated. • Investment monies were found to make the longer range facility modifications. • The space issues were resolved in a systemic and satisfactory manner.
Case Study 2 • SNL/CA was planning its 50th Year Anniversary celebration. • An IDT was performed that resulted in: • Modification of several demonstration projects because of safety concerns to the public. • Underground electrical scans/surveys in areas where tents were to be installed. • Coordinated contingency and emergency response planning. • “Health stations” for visitors (expected hot weather). • Coordination of temporary utilities (water, gas powered electric/generators, etc.)