Title:
Requesting Excavation/Penetration Permits, Data Management
and Client Relations
Facility :
Y-12 National Security Complex
Point of Contact :
Jenny Oldham, Penetration/Excavation Permit Coordinator,
865-574-2902 ,
oldhamva@y12.doe.gov
Brief description of Best Practice:
This best practice covers the automated web-based permitting
system that allows excavation/penetration permits to be
requested, and the data to be stored and track able
throughout the life of the permit. Web-based permitting
allows access from anywhere throughout the Y-12 complex
giving flexibility to the requester for printing the
original permit for field use. The data base created with
the web-base permitting system is available to access
historical information for new requests.
Why the Best Practice was used:
This system provides a formal location for storage of the
electronic data collected during the permit process. Prior
to the automated web-base permitting system hard copies were
used. There would be a hard copy of each of the permits
submitted was provided to the engineering disciplines and
one original hard copy permit by the coordinator. The
engineering disciplines would review the copies of the
permit and the permit coordinator would hand carry the
original permit after three business days to each of the
engineering discipline for them to sign off. This caused
permits to get lost and made it difficult to schedule the
utility tracing. This method was very time consuming for the
permit coordinator and others (Secretaries, group leaders,
etc...)
The initial walk down became an important tool to the
disciplines providing information about the permit site.
This eliminated areas not being marked prior to the
engineering disciplines walk down. The initial walk down
would also make sure each of the reviewers was looking at
the same area. The person doing the initial walk down would
review each of the site/areas for the requested permit. The
initial walk down would number the sites/areas and provide a
sketch with the site numbers reflected. The sketch and walk
down write-up would be submitted to the disciplines as the
initial walk down report.
What are the benefits of the Best Practice:
-
The system can be accessed anywhere throughout the Y-12
complex with the use of a computer.
-
The cost object is checked at time of the permit request
to ensure it is valid (automated)
-
The requester can track the permit process through a
search query
-
The process cuts down on valuable time with initial walk
downs ensuring the areas are marked in the field
according to the requesters drawing. (areas are cleared
and ready for the utility tracing.
-
The system encourages Y-12 complex wide communication
-
Organizations outside Engineering, i.e. Environmental
Compliance have been added to the automated distribution
in order to facilitate an Environmental Review of the
proposed excavation activity
-
Electronic signatures are used
-
Reaction to issues in the field for an unearthed object
or utility. The system enables the permit coordinator to
contact the corresponding person(s). This allows quick
response time with minimum field hold ups.
-
Each permit’s attachments are saved to the data base
which can be accessed through the search query. The
search query has several options to use when doing the
search (cost object, requester’s UID, permit request
number, permit number, plant block grid, building
numbers, etc...).
-
Requesting a scope change revision is just a matter of
having a new drawing provided by the requester and
placing the permit back into the disciplines queue for
review. The process at that point is the same but the
review time would be minimal due to the fact the same
persons would be reviewing the revision to the permit
that did the original permit.
What problems/issues were associated with the Best Practice:
-
The automated permit process, when first developed, did
not provide a permit request number. This was added to
aide in tracking the permit request throughout the
permit process.
-
The Requester needs to understand the reason for the
marked drawing matching the areas laid out in the field.
-
Ensuring no new area had been added to the permit
boundaries prior to the utility scanning.
-
When the automated permit process was first adapted at
the complex UCNI permits were not allowed to be
attached. These permits would still be submitted on the
web but the disciplines would need to pick up the
requesters drawings at the permit coordinators office.
If the disciplines had attachments that were UCNI they
would also need to bring those to the permit
coordinators office.
How the success of the Best Practice was measured:
Use of a comparison metric for one year after the transition to the
web-base system was kept to document the improvement in days
required to complete the permitting process and release the
permit to the requester. This was performed by using a
spread sheet that was created prior to the web-base system
and then compared with the data collected using automated
system.
Description of process experience using Best Practice:
The automated permit system is used as a vehicle to formally
document and store information from all phases of the
excavation/penetration permit work effort. The system lends
itself to be available to anyone at the Y-12 complex with
access to a computer, user id and cost object for the work
effort. The user is able to request, track and explore
historical information for a future excavation/penetration.
When the requester submits a permit request it is assigned
an ID number. This number allows the requester to track
their permit at anytime using a search query.
When a requester is ready to request a permit he/she will access
the automated permit web site. They will be prompted for
their UID and password. Requesters can upload design
drawings with a brief description of the work to be done.
This triggers an automatic email to the permit coordinator
and to the environmental group contact (only if it is
excavation permit).
The permit coordinator then contacts the requester to ensure the
area(s) are properly marked for excavation/penetrations and
it matches the uploaded drawing and detail of the work
described on the permit request. Once this is confirmed the
permit coordinator will schedule an initial walk down. This
is to review the drawings and the marked area and if needed
to give further direction to the discipline reviewers and
utility tracers (how the area is marked, what PPE is to be
worn, if there is any special training needed to access
area, etc…). Once the initial walk down is complete an
initial walk down report is written and submitted on the
permit request.
Environmental Compliance will review the area for any environmental
concerns and issues. This is accomplished with support from
a web based Geographic’s GIS application. When the review is
completed, they respond directly to the requester with a
drawing showing concerns (i.e. contamination areas) and
direction when needed. This activity satisfies recently
implemented Land Use Controls as prescribed in Federal
Facility Agreements between NNSA, DOE-EM, the US
Environmental Protection Agency and the Tennessee Department
of Environment and Conservation.
Within the complex we have several engineering discipline groups
corresponding with the different classification of
facilities and/or projects. These engineering groups are
considered the SME (subject matter expert) for that facility
or project covering their particular discipline (Electrical
Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Fire Protection
Engineering, Structural engineering, and Civil
Engineering). Once the permit coordinator selects the
correct engineering discipline group for the review the
permit request is then submitted as a permit.
When the permit request is submitted to the disciplines it
is assigned a permit number. The permit number corresponds
with the year (FY9, FY10, etc…) and will be followed by a
number that is assigned in chronicle order throughout that
year. (FY10-01E, FY1002P, etc...) The last part of the
permit number represents the type of permit (E represents
excavation and P represents penetration. See figure one.
Figure One
When the permit request is submitted to its permit form it will
send an automated email to each of the engineering
disciplines giving them a link to the permit they are
assigned. The engineering disciplines are allowed a three
business day review period by default. When each of the
engineering disciplines access the web site they are
required to login. This allows the system to verify who is
accessing the permit and meets the qualification of
electronic signature. The system allows the engineering
discipline users to upload field walk down reports along
with drawings and any puritan information needed to do the
utility tracing and possibly any concerns they might have to
pass to the person/persons doing the
excavation/penetrations.
The permit coordinator will then schedule the utility tracing and
assign the person(s) best qualified for the permitted area
(beryllium area, beryllium buffer area, MAA, Rad area,
training etc…). The scheduling is done for the utility
tracing through Microsoft Outlook as a meeting notice. The
requester and utility tracer will be on the meeting notice.
This will allow the requester time to set up the utility
tracer on the POD (Plan of the Day), contact Radcon and have
a lift or ladder available at the time of the utility
tracing if needed.
Once each engineering discipline has completed their review they
will sign off on the web site. When all engineering
disciplines have signed off the web site an automated email
will be sent to the permit coordinator and to the utility
tracers.
The utility tracers are able to access the web site through a link
in their automated email. When the utility tracers access
the web site they are also prompted to login. They print
the engineering discipline attachments for their use utility
tracing effort. They review all attachments prior to
performing the field work. The utility tracers will ensure
they have the proper equipment needed to locate all
utilities that were supplied during the engineering review
process. (The utility tracer effort and the equipment used
are covered in another “Best Practice” submittal from Idaho
National Laboratory). The utility tracers are trained on
each of the pieces of equipment they use (The training
effort is covered in a separate “Best Practice” submittal
from the Savannah River Site.) Once the utility tracing has
been completed the utility tracer will write a field report
stating what equipment they used and a description of their
utility survey. They will also draw a utility scan sketch
showing the utilities traced in the field and their
locations. Once these are complete the utility tracer will
log into the permit web site and attach their report and
sketch electronically. The utility tracer will then sign
out of the web site. The utility tracer will then give the
original hard copy of the permit with all his/her
attachments and the engineering attachments to the permit
coordinator. When the utility tracers have signed off an
automated email will be sent to the permit coordinator.
The permit coordinator can access the permit web site using the
link within the automated email. Upon receipt of the hard
copy of the permit, the permit coordinator will do a final
review. The permit coordinator will compare the disciplines
reviews with the utility tracer’s field report and field
sketch to ensure all utilities have been located and
documented. If there is any question or concerns the permit
coordinator can send the permit back to the either the
disciplines or scanners queue. Once all issues of concern
are addressed the permit coordinator will sign off on the
permit. This will release the permit from engineering and
an automated email will be sent to the requester that
engineering is complete. The requestor’s email will also
provide direction for printing out their permit and a link
to the web site.
The requester will then take the hard copy of
excavation/penetration permit to the Y-12 complex utility
owners or (if a penetration) the facility utility owners.
This gives each of these groups and opportunity to review
all the engineering attachment and reports. They will make
comments and ensure all known utilities have been addressed.
This will also provide information to these persons of
potential work being done around their systems. Each of
these persons are required to sign off on the permit. Also,
Radcon is contacted and required to review and sign off on
the permit.
When all the excavation/penetrations work on the permit has
been complete and the permit has been signed off in the
field the original is brought back to the permit
coordinator. The coordinator will access the electronic
permit on the web and transpose the field information to the
electronic permit to document the field process and archive
the data. This will complete the permit.
