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The operations and maintenance plan is the foundation of an effective operations strategy and serves as the basis for managing the entire operation of the facility. The operations and maintenance plan is considered the core management tool for the plant manager to organize, administer, and respond to daily operational elements at the facility. The operations and maintenance plan not only defines the roles and responsibilities of staff, but also establishes procedures for handling everyday situations and emergencies. By formalizing standard operating procedures, the operations and maintenance plan also provides a framework that facilitates periodic reviews and updates in response to changes.

The operations and maintenance plan should be considered a compilation of indi-vidual plans covering specific planning and management elements. As such, it is a liv-ing document. Each of the plan’s elements should be reviewed and updated annually or when significant events or changes occur that require adjustment. While compo-nents of an operations and maintenance plan can vary according to the specific require-ments and issues at a given facility, all operations and maintenance plans have the fol-lowing elements in common: staffing, personnel management, external relations and communication, reporting and recordkeeping, and emergency operations. Each of these elements is described in the following sections.

STAFFING

The staffing section of a facility’s operations and maintenance plan should describe the structure of the organization, what reporting relationships exist, and who is responsi-ble for what task. An organization chart should be used to convey this information.

The staffing section should include a narrative describing the elements of the organiza-tion’s structure, with an appendix listing the position descriptions of staff. Position de-scriptions should be updated as plant equipment, processes, or other conditions change.

Each position description typically includes a brief description of the character of the work, a list of the tasks required, the supervisory reporting position (supervision re-ceived), the positions to be supervised (supervision exercised), education and experi-ence required for hiring or placement, and typical tasks the incumbent must accom-plish if the plant’s mission is to be achieved.

Although an organization chart can provide a snapshot of a facility’s organiza-tional structure, in reality the organization works in a much more fluid and dynamic way. Consider that the organization that you have laid out is perfect for normal situa-tions as well as ensuring accountability and clarity of roles. However, what happens during periods when normal operations are disrupted? For example, how much inde-pendent responsibility should a shift operator have in establishing process directives

during plant upsets? Who defines the hierarchy designated to respond to employee absences or emergencies? Because the way a facility responds to atypical situations is often significantly different from the way it handles normal circumstances (including input from or subordination to external agencies such as firefighters, police, or the mayor), it is important for an organization plan to cover various states of operation including normal, stressed, and emergency operations.

The roles and responsibilities section of the operations and maintenance plan can define the details of the three operating states previously identified. For this section of the plan, think of your facility as a multiple-response team or one that must function under routine circumstances as well as abnormal conditions (e.g., equipment malfunc-tions, power outages, and service interruptions) and emergencies (e.g., fire, adverse weather conditions, process upsets, and terrorist threats). Staff roles and responsibili-ties under each of these scenarios should be considered and described. This section of the plan should also designate who assumes responsibility in the event of staff ab-sences, either planned or unplanned. The position descriptions prepared by plant man-agement are not negotiable with employees because they represent the tasks required for each position in the plant’s overall organization (Figure 3.8). Position descriptions

FIGURE3.8 Types of organizational structures.

need to be updated, however, as plant equipment, processes, technologies, or other con-ditions change, and an incumbent employee may request such changes in the position description. Each position description includes a brief description of the character of the work, a list of the tasks required, the supervisory reporting position (supervision received), the positions to be supervised (supervision exercised), education and experi-ence required for hiring or placement, and typical tasks the incumbent must accom-plish if the plant’s mission is to be achieved.

Consider the maintenance function and roles and responsibilities of the mainte-nance team. Recognize that maintemainte-nance and operations are both “part of the team”

and must work together and not separately. Thus, strive to foster a workplace atmo-sphere that supports the accomplishments of both groups and does not put one group subservient to the other. Seek means to maintain an effective communication and co-operative interaction between operations and maintenance personnel.

Consider the following titles that are commonly used in treatment facility position descriptions:

• Superintendent,

• Assistant Superintendent,

• Administrative Assistant,

• Chief Operator,

• Lead Operator or Operator II,

• Shift Operator or Operator I,

• Operations & Maintenance (O&M) Technician II and I,

• O&M Technician or Operator Trainee,

• Process Control Specialist,

• Laboratory Manager,

• Chief Chemist,

• Chemist,

• Laboratory Technician,

• Maintenance Supervisor,

• Heavy Duty Mechanic,

• Lead Mechanic or Mechanic II,

• Mechanic or Mechanic I,

• Mechanic Apprentice,

• Electrician, and

• Instrumentation and Control (I&C) Technician.

While these titles may be common to many organizations, facility managers should recognize that their own organization may use other designations and define varying responsibilities for each role. In addition to these conventional operations and maintenance titles, many facilities may have professional engineers and engineering technicians on staff. Regardless of the titles used by the facility, the facility manager needs to ensure that the organization complies with regulatory-driven roles. One example role is the “operator in responsible charge” or “direct responsible charge.”

These roles are required by the facility’s regulatory rating and discharge monitoring report effluent permit process, and are based on the regulatory mandated minimum levels of certification required for individuals at the facility on a shift as well as an overall basis.