Systems - Ergon, Inc.

December 2004
Systems
Performance
Improvement Department
and
Performance Improvement
David Wigginton
The Corrective and Preventive Action Request System
Many of the Ergon companies are familiar with some type of corrective and preventive action request (CPAR)
system. Some may have a formal system in place as part of a quality management system, while others may
not be as formal. A CPAR system can be one of the most effective tools that a company uses to address
problems in an effort towards continual improvement.
The primary purpose of a CPAR system is to serve as a structured method for identifying areas for
improvement and ensuring that effective solutions are put into place. The areas for improvement
can be
one of two types: corrective or preventive. A corrective action is simply a solution
to a particular problem that has already occurred so that it does not happen
again. On the other hand, a preventive action is a solution for a situation
that has the potential to become a problem. For example, let’s say you
back out of your driveway and knock down your mailbox. You might
decide to move the mailbox away from the driveway. This would be a
corrective action because you saw the need to move the mailbox only after
you knocked it down. If you decided to move it because you notice that you
come very close to it when you back out of the driveway, you have performed a preventive
action; the mailbox was moved before it fell victim to your car.
Besides identifying areas for improvement, an effective CPAR system ensures that recommended solutions
are put in place. Without this system, an identified problem could likely go unchanged. Let’s go back to the
mailbox. As you back out of the driveway, you realize that you should move the mailbox as a preventive
measure. However, the mailbox does not get moved because other things drew your attention. The next
week you back out of the driveway, and down goes the mailbox. If the mailbox had been moved, it would
likely still be standing. Follow-up is a very important component of an effective CPAR system.
Another important component of an effective CPAR system is the verification process. This is what happens
after a solution has been implemented. The solution is checked to see that it is effective in preventing a
problem from occurring again (or at all). If an implemented solution is not effective, then a problem or
the potential for a problem exists just as much as it did before the implementation. Referring back to our
example, you decide that you will move the mailbox away from the driveway to avoid hitting it. You move it
over five inches. The next day you back over it. That solution was not effective because the mailbox was still
hit. Moving the mailbox over 5 feet instead of five inches would have been a more effective solution to this
problem.
In closing, remember that the purpose of a CPAR system is to find areas for improvement, not to place
blame. If used properly, the CPAR system can be a very effective tool to make a good company even better.
Kathryn Steen
SPID Welcomes Charlie Bennett
SPID is honored to announce the newest member of our staff, Mr. Charlie Bennett,
who will transfer from Ergon Refining, Inc. in Vicksburg, MS this January. Charlie has
18 years of experience with Ergon as a Refinery Operator, Terminal Manager, Quality
Systems Coordinator and Quality Systems Manager. He is a Lead Internal Auditor and
has recently earned certification as a Lead Auditor with the Registrar Accreditation
Board (RAB is the U.S. body that accredits quality and environmental management
systems registrars). Charlie joins Systems and Performance Improvement Department
as a Management Systems Consultant, helping Ergon companies with their quality
management systems compliance and registration.
Systems
Lori West
Electronic Document Management: Get Rid of Those Manuals!
Electronic document management systems enable an organization to create, view, search, and link
electronically-stored documents. The Ergon Systems and Performance Improvement Department has been
working to implement software that can manage our existing quality management system documents
electronically. Our department required the following system capabilities:
• Viewing
• Printing
• Storage
• Searching by text (like Google)
• Availability of drawings
• Navigating drawing to drawing
• Cross-referencing or linking
• Revision history
• Archive of previous documents
• Version control
Additionally, this software was required to automate as much as possible the routing, reviewing, update and
approval process that is necessary before controlled procedures can be issued in the final version. Ideally, it
was to be compatible with the other enterprise-wide systems already in place at Ergon.
An existing system was already in use at Ergon for the storage and retrieval of accounts payable data:
OnBase, developed by Hyland Software out of Cleveland, OH. This company has a local reseller, Image Max,
who is available to develop and maintain systems in the Mississippi/Louisiana/Arkansas area. We researched
the capabilities of the OnBase system and how well it would fit our needs in managing our current document
control systems. Demonstrations of the basic OnBase system were held in Jackson and Vicksburg, MS, and
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Newell, WV. Feedback from these demonstrations was positive, and approval was obtained to develop and
implement a pilot program to be launched at Ergon Refining in Vicksburg.
A refinery was chosen as the testing location because its complexity would allow for several different
scenarios to be simulated. A discovery process was held to map out the existing controlled documentation
system. The routing, reviewing and approval process was defined and was designated as a “workflow”.
This term describes a process that can be predetermined in order for it to become automated. Using
workflow allows for more efficiency and control by making the status of any process viewable. A third-party
company was involved to meet our needs for navigating and storing drawings. This partnership enabled us
to successfully address and meet all the requirements identified for an electronic document management
system.
The OnBase system also interacts with SAP so that documents can be retrieved from within the SAP
environment. An additional advantage of using the OnBase system rather than a software package
specifically designed to meet ISO requirements is that it can be used to store any type of media: video, sound
files, graphics, scanned images, auto-cad files, as well as any electronic files. This allows the system to grow
with us instead of being limited in its usefulness.
Once approval is given to move ahead with this project, an implementation schedule will be developed. We
hope to begin the initial implementation of this project first quarter of 2005.
The Ergon Systems and Performance Improvement Department (SPID) has a new site
on the company’s intranet! Please visit us for more information on
our staff, programs and resources.
Go to Ergon’s Intranet at: http://ergonweb/
Scroll down to select “SPID” menu option at left.
Tell us what you think!
Send your questions, comments, and suggestions to us at [email protected]
Thanks!
Systems & Performance Improvement Department
P. O. Box 1639
Jackson, MS 39215-1639
PRSRT STD
U.S. Postage
PAID
Jackson, MS
Permit No. 774