Shiftwork Scheduling - An unusual problem - Need help please

[Ron Rompen]

Not sure if this is the right forum, but if it isn't then I'm sure our friendly moderator will move it for me

Here's the problem. Our plant runs 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Until recently, I had 3 floor auditors working for me, scheduled for 42.5 hours a week, Monday to Friday.

Now that I have added a fourth auditor, I have been asked to come up with a schedule that will proivde full coverage (i.e. auditor in the plant at all times). The easy way would be the rotating 12hr shifts (4 on, 3 off, 3 on, 4 off) with 4 teams of 1 person each. However, I would like to have a few options to present.

My ideal solution would be a 9 hour shift per auditor, with each auditor scheduled for 5 days, and overlap of 1-2 hours (max) permitted. Each auditor should start at the same time for those 5 days, and then have 2 days off.

I know there is software out there that can do this for me, but I can't justify the purchase for a one-time scheduling plan. I tried doing it manually on graph paper, but it just got messy

Anyone able to help?

 

[SteelMaiden]

Re: An unusual problem - need some help

You could do 4 days on, 4 days off, 12 hour shifts.

Why do you need to have an auditor present 24-7? (or should I ask why does someone believe that this is necessary?)

 

[Wes Bucey]

Re: An unusual problem - shiftwork scheduling - need help please

I'm with Steel. What are the functions/duties of ONE auditor?

My own concept of internal auditing is a cross-functional team which, over the course of a year, may cover each department or process within the organization from one to four times (during the calendar year) and generate a report (including the viewpoint of the different functions represented by the team members.) The report works its way through channels to management review.

The audit report on each process says

1. the process operates according to plan and it is effective, OR
2. the process does not operate according to plan and it is not effective, OR
3. the process does not operate according to plan, but it is effective and may even be more efficient than the original plan.

In addition, the team may report what they consider "Opportunities for Improvement." I would consider the operation inefficient if it had to be monitored/audited 24/7. (Cause enough for a revamp of the Plan.)

We've covered the responsibility of the Management Review team in other threads, but essentially it makes a decision on each process covered in the audit report (directly reported or OFI) to

1. leave as is (no action)
2. implement corrective action
3. study the process for possible revision

As I see it, the Management Review team has the additional function of communicating the actions or nonactions to all pertinent parties.

 

[Jim Wynne]

Re: An unusual problem - shiftwork scheduling - need help please

Why do you need to have an auditor present 24-7? (or should I ask why does someone believe that this is necessary?)

I'm with Steel. What are the functions/duties of ONE auditor?

I may be wrong, but I think Ron's auditors are inspectors, or quality people, and not necessarily doing internal auditing of processes.

 

[Stijloor]

Re: An unusual problem - shiftwork scheduling - need help please

I may be wrong, but I think Ron's auditors are inspectors, or quality people, and not necessarily doing internal auditing of processes.

Jim is correct. I have some Clients who call "roving" inspectors "auditors." They have an inspection schedule stating what lines/processes must be audited/inspected. They usually do not perform quality management systems (internal) audits mentioned in 8.2.2, but are more concerned with product requirements.

Stijloor.

 

[Bill Pflanz]

Re: An unusual problem - shiftwork scheduling - need help please

I don't know if you have ever used Microsoft Project but it would be a fairly simple scheduling set up.

Bill Pflanz

 

[howste]

Re: An unusual problem - shiftwork scheduling - need help please

24*7/4 = 42 hours per person per week. The easiest would be to have each work 6 hour shifts seven days a week, but I don't think they'd agree to that. Probably the next easiest would be a 12-hour shift rotation you mentioned. You could have them work 3.5 days per week if you wanted, with each one working 6 hours shifts on the shift change day.

If you try the nine-hour shifts you're suggesting, the difficulty is that each person needs two days off per week. 2 X 4 = 8 days off, but three people need to work each day. It can't be done. Also, each person would have to rotate through the three shifts unless you had one person changing shifts every couple of days.

 

[Tim Folkerts]

Re: An unusual problem - shiftwork scheduling - need help please

Hmmm ...

• There are 168 hr/wk, so each person will have to average 42.5 hr. If you add an hour of overlap, you would add 14 hr (for 2 shifts/day) or 21 hr(3 sifts/day)
• There are 21 shifts if you do 3 per day, so that would mean 5 shifts/wk, plus an occasional 6th shift.

OK, here is one solution: Inspector A works 1st shift for 5 days. Takes 2 days off. Works 2nd shift for 5 day. Takes 2 days off. Works 3rd shift for 5 days. Takes 1 day off. Repeat.
Inspector B takes over 1st shift the day after A is done with 1st shift
Inspector C takes over 1st shift the day after B is done with 1st shift
Inspector D takes over 1st shift the day after C is done with 1st shift

It comes out like this (the columns are the 3 shifts; the rows are the days). Everyone works each shift an equal amount.

[FONT=Courier New, monospace]A C B[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New, monospace]A C B[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New, monospace]A D B[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New, monospace]A D B[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New, monospace]A D C[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New, monospace]B D C[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New, monospace]B D C[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New, monospace]B A C[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New, monospace]B A C[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New, monospace]B A D[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New, monospace]C A D[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New, monospace]C A D[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New, monospace]C B D[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New, monospace]C B D[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New, monospace]C B A[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New, monospace]D B A[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New, monospace]D B A[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New, monospace]D C A[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New, monospace]D C A[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New, monospace]D C B[/FONT]




One problem is that the cycle is 20 days long, so it keeps shifting every 3 weeks. If you had people either 1) work 6 days in a row sometimes or 2) add an extra day off (so that 3 times during the period there is no one working at all, then the pattern would repeat nicely every week. Ie A works M-F every week; B works Sat-W every week; etc


Here's the "one extra day off for everybody" version

[FONT=Courier New, monospace]A C B[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New, monospace]A C B[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New, monospace]A D B[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New, monospace]A D B[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New, monospace]A D C[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New, monospace]_ D C[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New, monospace]B D C[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New, monospace]B A C[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New, monospace]B A C[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New, monospace]B A D[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New, monospace]B A D[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New, monospace]C A D[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New, monospace]C _ D[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New, monospace]C B D[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New, monospace]C B A[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New, monospace]C B A[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New, monospace]D B A[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New, monospace]D B A[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New, monospace]D C A[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New, monospace]D C _
D C B
[/FONT]


[FONT=Courier New, monospace]
[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New, monospace]What about getting 3 full-time and 2 part-time people? This would give you a lot more flexibility. The part-time people could pick up a few hours when the others are sick or on vacation.
[/FONT]




[FONT=Courier New, monospace]Tim
[/FONT]

 

[Gert Sorensen]

Re: An unusual problem - shiftwork scheduling - need help please

Is there any specific reason that it should be rotating shifts? How about a fixed shift for each employee. 3 employees for regular monday to friday shifts (day/evening/night), and 2 employees for weekend shifts (day/night). It might be easier for all parts involved.

IMO. Rotating shifts drain the life force from you.

 

[Ron Rompen]

First, thanks to all of you who took the time to reply. I know this question wasn't the usual 'quality-related' topic, but I knew that there was a wealth of knowledge here and that the answer was (probably) lurking.

Just to clarify a couple of things, since I wasn't as clear as I could be in my original post:

1) Auditor is the job title used here for inspectors. Their job entails a little more than just product verification, however they are not auditors as defined in the ISO 9001 or TS16949 standard.

2) I agree that rotating shifts are not an ideal solution. However, I do want to present my team with as many options as possible. I personally prefer the Continental shift pattern (4 on, 3 off, 3 on, 4 off, rinse and repeat), but it's not ME that has to work it.

3) Adding more people is not (at the present) an option. I had to fight to get this additional person.

4) 24/7 coverage of the production areas is a mandated requirement by our management team, as well as part of our Quality Team's commitment to customer service and satisfaction (the customer in this case being the production team)

5) Can't remember who suggested it, but yes I have used MS Project before, unfortunately don't have it available at this job.