OPERATING WITH MINIMUM EXPENSE AND WASTE LEARNING   OBJECTIVE:   Describe   the supervisor's  responsibility  to  operate  with minimum expense and waste. As  a  work  center  supervisor,  you  don’t  actually handle money, but you still must be aware of expenses. Remember  that  not  only  will  such  things  as  a misdirected effort, broken tool, wasted time, wasted material, and injuries actually add to your expenses, they  also  cut  down  on  efficiency.  You  have  the responsibility for properly ordering and accounting for spare parts and material. Impress upon your personnel the need for thrift in the use of these materials. Train your   less   experienced   personnel   to   become cost-conscious  without  sacrificing  efficiency. OPERATING FREE FROM INTERRUPTION AND DIFFICULTY LEARNING   OBJECTIVE:   Describe   the effects of judicious delegation of authorty. The success of this objective depends largely upon the  extent  to  which  the  work  center,  files,  test equipment  and  tools  are  maintained.  Also,  the  skill level and training of assigned personnel must be considered   in   meeting   this   objective.   Accurate tracking  of  test  equipment  requiring  calibration, ensuring tools are in safe working condition, and up-to-date  files  and  publications  are  also  important factors. They contribute to an efficient job completion with minimal interruption or difficulty. Smooth functioning of the work center may be further enhanced if you delegate authority to other responsible petty officers. Delegation of authority does not relieve you, as supervisor, of the overall responsibility  for  work  accomplishment.  It  is primarily a means of relieving you of details. If you become too involved with details, you can lose you effectiveness as a supervisor. If your work center can run smoothly and efficiently under normal conditions without your personal directions and efforts, (for a reasonable period of time) your delegation of authority to other members of the crew has been successful. Q5.     Which of the three broad objectives are affected by  wasted  materials? Q6.    Describe the primary purpose of delegation of authority. 6-3 PLANNING WORK CENTER ARRANGEMENT LEARNING  OBJECTIVES:  Identify  the  two types  of  maintenance  that  concern  the supervisor. Describe the purpose of the daily maintenance meeting. It is entirely possible that you may never have the opportunity to plan or assist in planning a work center in a new facility. In almost every case, the supervisor takes charge of an existing functional work center. If your unit is moved to a new base or facility, you are usually assigned to spaces already equipped or laid out for  your  specific  needs.  In  either  case,  as  the supervisor, you should evaluate the work center’s layout. This reevaluation of the work center’s layout should  include  researching  applicable  allowance  lists to determine if the work center equipment allowances have been updated or changed in any way. If changes have been made and the equipment is not available, you should initiate efforts to procure it immediately. There is no use in relocating work center equipment if there are lighting, wiring, ventilation, or plumbing changes to be made if improved replacement models are authorized and available. Purpose of the Work Center A basic consideration in planning a work center layout is the purpose of the work center. When more than  one  working  space  is  available,  the  supervisor must decide which space is best suited for a particular job. For example, if two spaces are identical in size, one may be completely unacceptable for performing hydraulic sample patch tests, yet may be perfectly suited for a drill press, vise, and workbench. The general function of the work center must be considered in the allocation of space and equipment. The ideal arrangement contains enough space to have workbenches, special tools, parts and tool stowage space, technical publication stowage, and ample space for the workers. Since this is not always possible, especially aboard ship, the supervisor must decide which of these is most important and what can be sacrificed. It may be decided that all of the toolboxes and  special  tools  should  be  located  in  a  central toolroom. At the intermediate level, the supervisor may simply have to decide which work centers are to be  combined.  However,  the  decision  to  combine different  maintenance  functions  should  be  based  on