Background
Service Stream (previously Comdain Infrastructure) was founded in 1962 and has evolved into a dynamic organisation with an enviable reputation for being a leading engineering and asset management services business, specialising in the gas, irrigation and water sectors. Operating 12 depots, employing a workforce of 550 of which 80% are field based, Service Stream’s top priority is to continuously seek, adopt and measure improvements that reduce field workforce safety risks for Service Stream and all contracted parties. One of Service Stream’s major contracts is the Multinet Gas service provision contract which comprises the delivery of reactive and planned maintenance as well as construction activities across the Multinet Gas distribution network. Multinet Gas distributes natural gas to 660,000 customers throughout Melbourne’s inner and outer east, the Yarra Ranges and South Gippsland. The gas network is 160 km of transmission pressure pipelines and 9,866 kilometres of distribution mains. The high complexity and scope of this contract include working on a live gas distribution network across densely populated residential communities. The contract involves 75 different companies, 18 teams working in parallel, 300 personnel of which 80% is field based and approx. 600 safety audits per year.
Challenge
Keeping our clients awake at night
Solution
How Cast Solutions solved the challenge
Outcome
Value added by Cast Solutions
Challenge
Service provision of a gas network exposes the workers to complex and changing safety challenges. Service Stream had been delivering maintenance and construction services for Multinet Gas since 2013. The Monthly Safety Performance KPI was consistently on track, and safety performance was tracking as expected. However, the processes and procedures did not allow early trend identification, safety data analysis or the ability to verify the effectiveness of improvement initiatives. A health and safety health check contract identified that the safety performance data and information was being collected in a range of ways. Electronic field devices were being used but the data was not bring brought together. Data was being captured and stored in various areas of the business. Lag data was being used to report and it was not possible to interrogate or track safety trends. Collation was difficult and slow, making it impossible to track early (lead) safety indicators.
Service Stream’s Service Delivery Manager is committed to transitioning the business beyond compliance and delivery of the monthly performance KPI. Strategic and operational safety plans were needed. In addition, a seamless work flow and procedures process; data capture and collation; improvement initiative tracking; and the embedding of data analytics and dashboards.
An end-to end safety solution was required for Service Stream’s Multinet Gas service provision contract to streamline and improve the safety data processes using industry leading technologies and solutions. This included seamless data capture and collation into a data analytics and visualisation tool, ensuring one source of truth, evidenced outcomes that can be tracked and monitored and introducing lead and lag strategic indicator tracking.
Solution
Cast Solutions was brought in to help Service Stream to develop and implement and end-to-end solution adopting industry leading processes, strategies, operational approaches and analytics. Qlik was chosen as the business intelligence/ analytics platform providing the ability to customise dashboards for specific users and seamless, near real-time data for field supervisors.
Qlik is easy to use, intuitive and quick to train people. Simple and visual data discovery is possible without knowing exactly what you are looking for. Cast Solutions developed the dashboard in one week from idea to proof of concept to a fully hosted secure enterprise platform. Smart data loads were synchronised hourly allowing for near-real time information.
The Qlik dashboard provides visually engaging user interface and is customised for specific users and their data/ information requirements (e.g. HSEQT Manager, GM Executive, Field Supervisor. The solution is responsive and accessible on mobile devices and computers allowing operational personnel to immediately view safety compliance status, capture audit data for early identification of safety issues and to verify compliance, data trends analysis and insights while out in the filed.
The solution also covers historical and predictive data assets showing trends over times, across crews, different locations, different activities – all down to the individual task and person, or consolidated up to the contract level.
Furthermore the solution focuses performance analysis and tracking of safety improvement initiatives and their effectiveness.
Outcome
The implementation of the end-to-end Qlik solution resulted in the following outcomes:
- Safety performance and compliance data is collected consistently and seamlessly;
- One source of truth, no data silos;
- Data is available near real-time allowing timely interrogation and early identification of safety trends;
- Data is accessible in the field providing an efficient and interactive way for field supervisors to view safety compliance status near real-time;
- Field audit data can be captured using a tablet for early identification of safety issues;
- Effectiveness and performance of safety improvement plans and initiatives can be tracked and analysed by managers;
- The solution improves accountability and provides transparent reporting, governance and assurance that safety compliance is on track.
The approach is now being adopted by Comdain corporate (12 operational centres with 550 people). It can be transferred with ease to other industries and workplaces. The outcome of the solution is transparently monitored by an Operational Safety Dashboard and Strategic Safety Dashboard. Comdain’s workplace is now safer, something they know and track rather than assume.
Why was Cast the right partner?
Cast Solutions brought the right team with industry-leading data analytics and solution expertise which helped to quickly grasp the challenges on hand and develop a solution leveraging the functionality and flexibility of the Qlik platform. Working together collaboratively with Comdain meant the team developed a solution that was exactly what was required in an efficient way, meeting project needs and delivering immediate and measurable results for safety compliance and improvement.
