Conduct of Operations (CoO)—the formal, structured, and systematic process of managing operations to ensure safe, consistent, and reliable performance—can be considered the “rules of the game,” defining how work should be done. CoO must support behavior surrounding individual adherence to standards, procedures, and best practices to emphasize mindset, consistency, and accountability. It’s rather like players committing to a rule book at the beginning of the season. The outcome of effective CoO processes and cultural buy-in is Operational Discipline (OD), which sets the foundation for achieving Operational Excellence.
At its core, OD means everyone is doing the right thing, at the right time, every time, even when no one is watching – which leads to reduced risk and enhanced operational integrity. OD is often the difference between having safety systems in place and living them every shift, every site, every person. OD also demands a deeply rooted commitment by every organization member to do the right thing, making safety a condition of employment. In a safety-centric culture, every shift would follow the same process, checklists, log data consistently, and report anomalies immediately. No shortcuts.
So, what does OD look like day-to-day? How do organizations ensure teams practice OD? How is it measured? Answering these questions begins with understanding the key components of OD:
- Clear, standardized procedures, including documented steps for tasks, supported by consistent execution by all staff
- Training to develop a competent workforce that understands and applies procedures, supported by regular performance assessments
- Risk awareness, supported by a strong safety culture that proactively addresses potential hazards
- Continuous improvement, supported by transparent feedback loops to refine processes and learn from incidents
With these components in mind, it’s clear that achieving OD requires an organizational culture driven by clear expectations and accountability established by leadership and supported by CoO processes. Once the expectations are set, CoO ensures they are consistently met through:
- Procedural automation to enable decision support in the field
- Consistent shift management protocols to ensure shift handover, shift notes, scheduling, and fatigue management are handled properly
- Training to ensure qualifications are current
- Incident investigations to determine root causes of failure and share lessons learned to prevent future loss
- Hazard assessments and safety reviews to accurately identify and manage risk and to minimize incidents
- Change management processes to evaluate changes to equipment, procedures, personnel, and more
- Alarm management protocols to ensure proper shift loading and enable situational awareness
Operational Sustainability® approaches CoO through the OESuite® Operations & Production Framework to enhance collaboration and engagement, which improves product quality, safety, environmental performance, and effective wrench time—while minimizing variations in performance to reduce risk, enhance operational integrity, and achieve OD. Through our comprehensive set of integrated modules and solutions, the Operations & Production Framework ensures:
- Ensures competent workers are doing safe work, leading to a high reliability organization
- Reduces human error through effective implementation and monitoring of a PSM system
- Empowers personnel to capture, analyze, and utilize data to drive sustainable improvements in every facet of CoO
In high-stakes industries where mitigating risks can have lasting consequences for people, plants, and the planet, CoO must be more than processes and procedures. It should be foundational to your culture. Risk is inherent to operations—what makes the difference when an incident occurs is rigorous procedures, well-trained personnel, and an OD-centric culture.