The aim of this study is to identify and establish management skills/knowledge required for the successful management of turnaround maintenance (TAM) projects.
A mixed‐method research approach was adopted for this study involving questionnaire survey and case studies of major continuous process plants in the UK. Data were collected through questionnaires from 160 process plants and the case studies of six process plants in the UK. These data were triangulated to improve on the findings.
The findings show that there are specific management skills very specific towards ensuring the successful management of TAM projects. The findings also show that TAM managers are mostly at present appointed without assessing them with any specific skills set.
This study developed a set of management skills required for turnaround maintenance projects. These specific appropriate management skills established for TAM management should help to reduce mismatching of skills and the job. This is of paramount importance in the selection of the TAM manager to ensure the individual with the right skills is given the responsibility of managing the project.
Operators of process plants and hence engineering facilities still appoint their TAM manager without reference to any skill set. Most of the time, maintenance managers or project managers are appointed to manage TAM without considering any set of requirements. This study which is the first of its kind in this area is a major contribution to the field.
