Career Path > Outages
Annoying contractors
Cathy:
I saw the title and thought "someone finally started a thread about me!". Seriously, after several years in this industry I have started a rule for myself that I try to stick with (I am not always successful but I try). I tell a house person once, and only once my idea, experience etc.. If they don't listen, that is their loss or maybe their plant is different. I will stand my ground if it is illegal, against clear procedures (for that particular plant) or the issue would cause me to take a unplanned shower at work. ::)
SloGlo:
yinz wanna tell a contractor that (s)he's annoying? yews yer mouth, 'n fourm da werds...'yer annoying'... most contractors will shut uop 'n leaf ya alone.
'n when dey git two da next plant, there fav storys will be bout da igneramuses thay jist left. butt datall bee oh kay, cause dey kant annoy yinz any moor. ;)
retired nuke:
OK, I've been on both sides of the road. And I remember trying to tell house folks all my great ideas that I just saw at my last plant. And getting frustrated when they didn't care.
Now I'm the house guy....and I do care for the ideas.....but
our outage schedule started 16 months (or more) ago. Outage planning, getting materials, fitting in all the pieces so we can get back online in 20 days....many boring meetings, outage packages, walkdowns with safety, maintenance, etc have taken place. :-\
And you want me to change boats, in midstream, at the last minute, and the conversation started off with "how come you idiots don't do it the way that plant X does it?" :P
I can't incorporate major changes in outage / work methods at the last minute. Well, actually I can, but I'm saving that stress for the crap I'm gonna have to change quickly, because something screwed up....I wanna keep that which I can control, under control, for as long as I have control..... :D
Now, If I can sit down during a quiet period, after everything is going smooth, and listen to what you have to say, I try to put it in the lessons learned list for next outage. I really do...
And if I get the budget, and the support, and I can convince the 3 people above me that this is worth it....when (and if) you come back as a returnee, I can show you what I did, and thank you for your idea. I have been able to do this on occasion. It feels nice when I can. But I can't always put it together, and sometimes I forget, or lose the idea.
So, I really will try to listen. And if you come back, I will thank you for the improvement if I manage to make it work.
I know I can't do the outage without you....heck, some days I would rather just go on vacation for 3 weeks and turn it over to you....I really hate outages nowadays. They interrupt my kids life...and that isn't good.
So keep being annoying, and tell us the ideas. Sometimes we listen.
And I don't keep many snacks on my desk anymore....just cheap cigars. Figure if I'm only gonna get 1 smoke break a day, I might just as well enjoy it..... 8)
Peace
:)
Imaginos:
--- Quote from: kp88 on Aug 12, 2008, 09:15 ---Excellent advice. Does anyone have any advice on how to tell supplemental/contractor personnel that they're becoming annoying?
--- End quote ---
--- Quote from: vikingfan on Aug 12, 2008, 09:26 ---and do you expect to complete your outage(s) in a timely manner without them ?
--- End quote ---
I don't know many who are so fragile that they'd depart early or not show up in the future because their feelings were hurt. ;)
Edited to clarify, "Not many, but at least a few.." ;D
Laundry Man:
Speaking of not taking suggestions from annoying contractors (I was one for 27 + years), who was there for the famous (name removed by Moderator) "We welcome your ideas but we aren't going to change a "gosh darn thing" (words changed a little) speech at the Latches Theater in Brattleboro?
LM
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