Blue Mountains City Council recently completed the implementation of an electronic works management system for the maintenance of its parks and roads. Using this new system, customer requests and inspection reports are entered into a work request register that issues barcoded work lists to Council’s operation staff.
Works staff report to Council offices each morning to pick up the list, which details job locations, equipment required and so forth. Once staff have completed a job, they scan the work list barcode using a barcode wand attached to a handheld recording device. They then record all aspects of the completed work on the handheld device. A checklist ascertains attending staff, time the job took to complete and plant used.
At the end of the working day, daily records are downloaded via wireless networks set up in the Council depots.
Council’s Operations Manager, Damien Drew, said the system produces electronic timesheets as well as a whole suite of production, utilisation and budget data for roads and parks operations.
“This reduces administration and provides invaluable management data,” he said.
Damien Drew said that in the past, all works records were handwritten.
“We have approximately 20 works teams, all of which had to write job reports at the end of each day,” he said. “This new system has eliminated this requirement, thus saving approximately 15 to 20 minutes for each team, each day. This reduction in paperwork has further resulted in the administration officer reducing their workload to four days per week, rather than five.
“We also have a better understanding of our plant needs, as the electronic checklists clearly show which plant is used and how often. Previously, we had no real idea of the frequency of use of our tools and machinery and were unable to identify items that were not being used.”
Council is now looking to have work lists sent wirelessly to works staff in the field, eliminating the need for them to report to the Council office each morning.
“The Maintenance Management System has already allowed Blue Mountains City Council to make significant improvements to efficiency of maintenance activities,” Damien Drew said. “We are now looking to expand its use with other works teams.”
For further information contact Damien Drew on (02) 4780 5373.
