Labwide database to capture lessons learned
The Lessons Learned Program is part of the Integrated Quality Assurance effort
Learning from past events and projects is a good thing, both at home and at work. The sharing of lessons learned can increase safety, improve quality and reduce cost of products and processes.
Many divisions and sections at Fermilab already keep records of lessons learned. But what is the best way of collecting and sharing them at a laboratory with about 2,000 employees? How can one make sure that all employees learn about the information that is relevant to them?
The Fermilab Office of Quality and Best Practices now is capturing the existing lessons learned information in a labwide Lessons Learned Program that covers many topics, including ES&H. The office has developed guidelines on what information should be collected and the Computing Division has set up a lab-wide, searchable database. In addition, the office has begun to train coordinators who will help capture the wealth of information that can help coworkers to make better decisions.
"We are just at the beginning of this process," explained Ed Vokoun, who helped set up the program on behalf of the Office of Quality and Best Practices. "People should contact the Lessons Learned Coordinators if they have questions or suggestions for lessons learned to convey. We are now beginning to populate the Lessons Learned database."
The initial list of Lesson Learned Coordinators includes Rafael Coll, ES&H; Jed Heyes, Quality Assurance; as well as Senior Safety Officers and Quality Assurance Representatives in each division, section and center. Bill Flaherty, Security; Ron Cudzewicz, Cybersecurity; and Dean Hoffer, Project Management; will join as additional coordinators.
If you have questions, please contact one of the coordinators or e-mail Vokoun at evokoun@fnal.gov. This fall, Fermilab Today will announce when the database is accessible for search by people on the Fermilab site.
-- Kurt Riesselmann
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