Every 16 weeks, major fixed plant shutdowns at Newman mobilises large teams of transient workers to complete complex, high-risk maintenance activities under tight schedules. While essential for reliability, these shutdowns faced challenges with productivity and consistency due to varied workforce experience and site familiarity.

After conducting time-in-motion studies, we identified that a great deal of lost time was caused by unstructured problem-solving and delays in starting work. In response, we introduced two key initiatives designed to strengthen communication, accountability, and team culture:

• The 30/30 Rule: After 30 minutes of problem-solving without progress, teams escalate to their supervisor, and after another 30 minutes, to the Shutdown Coordinator. This encourages collaboration and breaks down silos.
• 6:45 Work Front Start: Setting the expectation for teams to be at the work front by 6:45 each shift increased tool-time and improved shift rhythm.

In this session we will highlight how these initiatives delivered a >10% uplift in tool-time per shift, enhanced engagement, and reinforced a “safe to speak up” culture. We’ll hear how setting clear expectations, building capability through coaching, and fostering respect and inclusion, we have been able to create meaningful cultural and performance improvements now being replicated across other WAIO operations.