By Michael MacMillan
A new manual outlining resource maintenance material for utility fleet equipment, particularly aerial devices, radial boom decks, and material handlers, is now complete.
The result of an intensive nine-month project, the Utility Fleet Mechanic Learning Guide will help mechanics and inspectors properly service fleet equipment. Traditionally, fleet repairmen relied on a jumble of manufacturer guidelines and first-hand knowledge when repairing equipment. Mechanics often learned directly from their predecessors. Consequently, no sure means existed by which to measure what a mechanic knew about the equipment he was fixing.
In 1992 the Canadian Electricity Association's (CEA) newly created Fleet Forum, recognizing the need for a source of standardized fleet equipment repair information, began laying the groundwork for the manual. But it was not until March of last year that a project team finally got underway. For the next nine months, they collected the combined knowledge of fleet managers and mechanics from across the country.
Their efforts culminated in December when they presented the final draft to the CEA. And according to Brian Tink, Safety Solutions Senior Consultant and project monitor, initial response is encouraging.
"It far exceeded my expectations," Tink said. "We've had no negative feedback at all from the people who have proofread it."
Demand for the manual is high. So high that Tink has already received calls from across Canada and the U.S. from parties interested in obtaining a copy. One company is currently working on posting the manual on the Internet, possibly as early as this spring.
Provincial governments are also expressing an interest in the manual, and this is what the project leaders had anticipated. Besides providing fleet workers with a valuable tool, Tink explained, the manual will help efforts to lobby the provinces to certify those who work on fleet equipment. "This is a win-win situation for government, because a lot of their work is now done. This is an analysis that has been done across the country."
Certification, all project members agree, is long overdue. As utility fleet equipment becomes increasingly complex and specialized, worker knowledge of the machinery has declined. This prompted calls from management for a competency standard in the industry. Viewed as an important first step in this direction, the manual will provide both new and experienced mechanics with a broad source of learning and resource materials.
John Harvey, Fleet Manager at Manitoba Hydro said the manual enables he and other managers to determine in which areas their staff needs training. Already Harvey has helped implement a company training and certification process at Manitoba Hydro, and loaded the manual's contents into the company's training database. Other utilities are being encouraged to use the manual as support for additional training. Providing a country-wide level of standardization, Harvey said, paves the way for government certification of aerial and special hydraulic workers.
"It's a major step forward for us, a major first step in getting utility fleet mechanics certification country-wide, if not North American-wide," he added.
Not surprisingly, resource material for the manual was often hard to find. The entire purpose of the project itself was to establish such a source of information. Some manufacturers, concerned with secrecy or liability, were apprehensive about listing their products in the manual. Jens Dubrow, Operations Manager at Altech Industries Inc. said, as a manufacturer, he understands the cautious approach his colleagues took with the project. Although they recognize the need for an industry-wide resource manual, they did not want the team to overlook the fact that manufacturer manuals are still the only hard source of detailed machinery information . Makers of fleet equipment wanted reassurance the manual would be a generic source of non-technical information only.
"Virtually in every section it makes specific reference that you need to check the manufacturers manual specific to the product you're working on. If you're repairing the machine, read the manual," Dubrow said. Project team leader Robert Borer of Robert Borer Enterprises agrees. He is disappointed some manufacturers chose not to be involved. However, he is also confident that as the manual is updated, more and more manufacturers of utility fleet equipment will realize its benefits. "I'm hoping it comes to be seen as a useful tool. If you do quality production, then this is something you'd want to support, " Borer said.
Harvey is pleased by the level of cooperation among the project's key players. Even as recently as five years ago, he said, such a task would have been unthinkable. Funding for the project was provided on a voluntary basis, and was supported entirely by Fleet Forum members. All utilities he explained, share a common interest in keeping their fleet machinery up to date and in proper working order. This fact, plus the time and money the manual will ultimately save utilities, kept the project afloat.
"It's an example of how people that have a common interest can get things done in this day and age," Harvey said. "We're moving away from the typical business attitude of waiting for something to come along."
But the team's work is not finished. The manual, Borer said, has much room to grow, evident by the level of interest generated in the U.S.. And while the manual is currently a Canadian publication, he would like to see it expand to eventually encompass fleet equipment from around the world.
"Who knows," he added. "Maybe down the road, we can get an international publication going. That is something that would definitely be an asset to the whole trade."
Those interested in receiving a copy of the Task Profile Manual for Utility Fleet Mechanics should contact Brian Tink at Safety Solutions at (905) 430-2215, ext. 236 or Fax (905) 430-8583.