Time on Tool Studies

Time on tools studies (or hands on tool time, or wrench time)or have been utilized on construction projects globally by a wide variety of organizations over the last 30 years and accepted as a universal platform for productivity analysis.

Watch the video and you will see why Tool Time Studies are instrumental in increasing productivity and providing a better return on investment.

THE DATA

The following is a visual representation of tens of thousands of observations from several Time on Tools Studies conducted over several years on very large projects.

This report is completely interactive and lets you drill down into the data. Please have a look and play around with the application.

Background of Tool Studies

Time on Tools analysis is the systematic observation and reporting of time utilization. Observations of pre-defined activities are made within a given time frame. The resulting data, expressed as percentages, indicates how the workforce is utilized and is used to measure the effectiveness of work processes through the utilization of the workforce.

The objective of Time on Tools Studies includes:

  • Comparing current utilization levels against expectations.
  • Determines if current work process enables the workforce to perform safely, effectively, and efficiently.
  • Identifies opportunities to further improve work processes as even incremental improvements can have profound impacts on your project’s productivity.
Illustration shows a worker not working on a watch showing the tool time

Why you need Tool Time Studies.

The PROBLEM

The gap has been that the industry hasn’t been able to access historical information in one database that an end user can access and manipulate specific to their situation and provide information that will help forecast potential productivity issues related to their projects.

 

Our SOLUTION

As a leading indicator, Time on Tools studies allow construction management teams to address actual current issues and to see the results of their actions in a much shorter time horizon.

Insight-AWP is now making our historical database available to anyone via our user interface containing projects from Western Canada, the US Gulf Coast, and Western Europe, approaching 200,000 observations. You can now access and sort the largest sample size of project observations available in one location that will allow you to better predict, identify, and prepare for potential productivity issues.

By comparing the resulting percentages against targets (considered realistic stretch targets based on historical data) opportunities for improvement are identified. Streamlining support activities and decreasing delays will increase the percentage of direct activity achieved.

By using our tool, you can now produce observations that are recorded by sampling routine execution for a typical duration of two weeks. The observer cycles through all project areas in a non-invasive manner so that many typical “snap shots” of project life can be recorded.

The Benefits.

What gets measured gets managed (Lord Kelvin 1883) and over the last 20 years the industry has improved on projects using WFP with packages in the field in the range of 6% direct observation; this improvement translates into a 15% productivity improvement.

Observations are categorized according to the following definitions:

DIRECT ACTIVITY
Performing those elements of a task that directly advance its completion

tool-time-pie-chart

SUPPORT ACTIVITY
Performing those elements of a task that indirectly advance its completion.

  • GETTING EQUIPMENT – Getting tools and/or equipment from a location that is outside of the immediate work area.
  • EQUIPMENT TRAVEL – Traveling outside of the immediate work area with or for tools and/or equipment.
  • GETTING MATERIALS – Getting materials and/or parts from a location that is outside of the immediate work area.
  • MATERIAL TRAVEL – Traveling outside of the immediate work area with or for materials and/or parts.
  • PLANNING – Receiving, giving, writing or interpreting instructions.
  • TRAVEL – Traveling outside of the immediate work area when it is not related to tools, equipment, materials or parts.

DELAY
Periods of lost time that prevent direct or support work.

  • EQUIPMENT DELAY – Waiting for tools and/or equipment. Must be ready and available for work.
  • MATERIAL DELAY – Waiting for materials and/or parts. Must be ready and available for work.
  • INTERNAL DELAY – Waiting while crew members assigned to the same task complete their work (must be in the immediate area and ready to work).
  • EXTERNAL DELAY – Waiting while other crews or crafts assigned to the same task complete their work (must be in the immediate area and ready to work).
  • SUPERVISOR DELAY – Waiting for instructions to begin, continue or complete the task assigned (must be in the immediate area and ready to work).
  • MISCELLANEOUS DELAY – Waiting for reasons not related to any other delay category.
  • FIELD PERSONAL DELAY – Personal breaks taken outside of the regular break hours.

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