Page 34 - IEC Insights May-June21_PAGES

happen without notice. But, with data and categorization, the perception and action can change for the better.
Consider a few scenarios that may be happening on your jobsites….
Perhaps your jobsite is one that has the port-a-potty located too far from the point of installation.
This was the case on a large hospital project, where Short Interval Scheduling (SIS ) process was being
®
used to measure obstacles to completing scheduled work. Figure 1 shows the impact on a daily basis. On
the job highlighted here you can see that when tracked it became visible that at peak more than 53 hours in a
single day were lost to “absenteeism," meaning in this case that the electricians were not at the point of
installation doing their work. Once this was detected and an additional port-a-potty was added closer to the
point or installation, the lost hours quickly diminished.
FEATURE FIGURE 1: Hours not worked as scheduled
due to absenteeism on a project resulting
from a port-a-potty being located too far
from where the work was being performed.
that we shake our heads and go on doing
our work as normal. Most times common
causes become common because they are
too small individually for the office to get
involved with and their root causes are
outside of the scope of the field teams’
ability to address.
Left unchecked and uncorrected
the productivity impact of the little
distractions can actually be very easily
estimated. How much these little
distractions are costing you can be
estimated by looking at the big picture. If
each electrician working for your company
must stop work for a few minutes each Figure 1: Hours not worked as scheduled due to absenteeism on a project resulting from a
port‐a‐potty being located too far from where the work was being performed.
day the total cost adds up. Here is the jobs without me knowing? You may know, on a daily basis. On the job highlighted here
math; if you have 50 electricians and each but you just have not seen these little you can see that when tracked it became
Page 2 of 5
True cost of distractions article 3-29-21 ver 4
Confidential
© MCA Inc. 363 E. Grand Blanc Rd, Grand Blanc, MI 48439 / Tel: (810) 232-9797
one is interrupted in his/her assigned distractions as worth the fight. Just like visible that at peak more than 53 hours in
tasks three times each day, for only 10 your crews would say, “it is what it is” or a single day were lost to “absenteeism,”
minutes each time, that costs you 30 “it takes what it takes,” and these 10 minute meaning in this case that the electricians
minutes per day, per employee. Multiply intervals continue to happen without were not at the point of installation doing
that out and it’s 2 ½ hours per week, per notice. But, with data and categorization, their work. Once this was detected and an
employee, or 6,500 hours per year. At a the perception and action can change for additional port-a-potty was added closer
fully loaded labor rate of $50 per hour the better. Consider a few scenarios that to the point or installation, the lost hours
that equates to $325,000 per year. Yes, may be happening on your jobsites... quickly diminished.
that is about a third of a million dollars
that you are paying for and getting Perhaps your jobsite is one that has the Or perhaps your jobsite has all of the
Or perhaps your jobsite has all of the trades and all of the material storage in a single location and requires trades and all of the material storage
nothing for it. That is half a million dollars
port-a-potty located too far from the
your electricians to wait in line for a lift each day, along with everyone else going to work. Figures 2 & 3 in a single location and requires your
point of installation. This was the case on a
that could be going straight to your
show an example of what this may look like to your field team, but for them it is just the steps required to do
bottom line.
large hospital project, where Short Interval
Or perhaps your jobsite has all of the trades and all of the material storage in a single location and requires electricians to wait in line for a lift each
their work each day. To you, it could be hundreds or thousands of dollars over the course of the project,
Scheduling (SIS®) process was being
your electricians to wait in line for a lift each day, along with everyone else going to work. Figures 2 & 3 day, along with everyone else going to
unless it is quickly detected and corrected.
If you are thinking, that sounds like a lot
used to measure obstacles to completing
show an example of what this may look like to your field team, but for them it is just the steps required to do work. Figures 2 & 3 show an example of
of money, how could that happen on my
scheduled work. Figure 1 shows the impact
their work each day. To you, it could be hundreds or thousands of dollars over the course of the project, what this may look like to your field team,
unless it is quickly detected and corrected. but for them it is just the steps required to
do their work each day. To you, it could be
hundreds or thousands of dollars over the
course of the project, unless it is quickly
detected and corrected.
In addition to these productivity losses are
the safety impacts. The other science that
we leverage here is known as the Power
Law. As an example, Power Law as it
relates to earthquake prediction suggests
that the location for a large earthquake
can be indicated by observing locations of
the smaller ones. In our case, we observe
how it relates to jobsite safety and
accidents. MCA has measured and found
FIGURE 2: Electricians FIGURE 3: Electricians waiting to move that planning reduces the occurrence of
riding the lift to start single file with their needed materials small safety distractions and therefore
Figure 2: Electricians riding the lift to start to ride the lift that will take them to reduces the likelihood of larger more
work, each day.
Figure 3: Electricians waiting to move single file
work, each day. the point of installation. costly incidents and accidents.
with their needed materials to ride the lift that
will take them to the point of installation.
Figure 2: Electricians riding the lift to start Figure 3: Electricians waiting to move single file
work, each day. with their needed materials to ride the lift that
32 In addition to these productivity losses are the safety impacts. The other science that we leverage here
Insights Magazine | May/June 2021 | www.ieci.org
will take them to the point of installation.
is known as the Power Law. As an example, Power Law as it relates to earthquake prediction suggests that
the location for a large earthquake can be indicated by observing locations of the smaller ones. In our case,
we observe how it relates to jobsite safety and accidents. MCA has measured and found that planning
reduces the occurrence of small safety distractions and therefore reduces the likelihood of larger more costly
In addition to these productivity losses are the safety impacts. The other science that we leverage here
is known as the Power Law. As an example, Power Law as it relates to earthquake prediction suggests that
incidents and accidents.
the location for a large earthquake can be indicated by observing locations of the smaller ones. In our case,
we observe how it relates to jobsite safety and accidents. MCA has measured and found that planning Page 3 of 5
True cost of distractions article 3-29-21 ver 4
© MCA Inc. 363 E. Grand Blanc Rd, Grand Blanc, MI 48439 / Tel: (810) 232-9797
Confidential
reduces the occurrence of small safety distractions and therefore reduces the likelihood of larger more costly
incidents and accidents.
True cost of distractions article 3-29-21 ver 4 Page 3 of 5
Confidential © MCA Inc. 363 E. Grand Blanc Rd, Grand Blanc, MI 48439 / Tel: (810) 232-9797