A successful CCTV pipeline inspection program requires a state-of-the-art inspection vehicle, a qualified inspection operator, and a competent management team. Of course, the vehicle and operator are obvious, but too often, management is overlooked.

The truth is that without a well-organized management team, most inspection programs will not achieve their purpose. Without proper oversight, the goals that justified the investment will never be reached.

Managing an inspection program doesn’t necessarily require field experience. However, to succeed as a manager, you do need to learn as much as possible about the process: vehicles, equipment and the end product. Most of all, it is essential to appreciate the human factor and its functions in the field.

The way to understand the challenges crews encounter daily is to spend time in the field. Seeing firsthand what is possible and what is not will help you make better decisions. These observations reveal the patterns and habits that make a crew successful or not. Ideas then begin to formulate that help streamline the process. In addition, by sitting in the operator’s chair, you can gain valuable knowledge through hands-on experience.

Setting goals

As manager, you must understand the expectations your agency or company had when it entered the inspection business. Whether it was to inspect a percentage of a municipal system each year or build a profitable business, knowing the expectations can help you formulate the goals needed for success.

Setting goals is critical. Goals are the difference between a proactive inspection program and a reactive one. They set expectations, create a means of measurement, and ensure that a program runs profitably. Without goals, crews operate without direction. They lack a sense of urgency and will tend to be indifferent toward the program.

On the other hand, crews with goals have clear direction and work together toward a common purpose. They are more satisfied with their jobs because they can measure their success. When they meet their goals, they get the sense of satisfaction that they have done a good job and “the boss is happy.”

You must first establish realistic footage goals. It may not be enough to accept what the crews regard as satisfactory. If there is any question, you may have to look outside to see what other agencies or contractors are accomplishing.

The ultimate goal is to maximize footage on a daily basis. That means the crews must work continuously. Whenever they are not on break, they need to work steadily and efficiently. It is your job as manager to create a sense of urgency: If the footage goals are not met today, the goals for the week will not be met. If they are not met this week, they won’t be met this month, this quarter, or this year.

Monitor daily production constantly. Consistent involvement helps you identify problems much sooner. As patterns begin to develop, you will be able to identify them and correct them before they get out of hand. When crews achieve or exceed their production goals, consistently acknowledge and congratulate them.

Striving for quality

Of course, all of the production in the world means nothing without consistent quality. If a crew produces high numbers, but the final product is unusable, the work has been a complete waste of time. One never knows who will look at the end product. An inspection video could wind up in front of the city council and mayor, and in some cases even before Congress.

It is the manager who establishes the level of quality – through tolerance or intolerance. Operators can easily lapse into carelessness if they believe no one ever looks at their videos. Your consistent feedback will keep the operators sharp and focused.

A successful manager must have an attitude that only perfection is acceptable. Operators must understand that only correct data, correct spelling, correct observations and quality video will pass muster. Only then will their level of quality rise.

True quality requires a two-step approach. First, you must enforce a quality-control check by the CCTV operator. After each inspection, the operator must open up the video to make sure that it recorded properly from beginning to end, and to ensure that there is sufficient lighting and adequate sound.

At this time, the operator also must double-check the data, making sure that it is accurate. If there are any problems, the most cost-effective time to rerun the inspection is while the camera is still in the line. Rerunning the inspection at a later date means unnecessary time and costs.

The next step in quality assurance is the review of all of the videos and reports by a quality-control agent. Any mistakes or bad procedural habits should be documented and returned to the operator and you. Then you can use the information as a teaching tool in the quest to elevate each operator’s competence.

Another way to elevate quality is to conduct group reviews of the videos. In this process, various random videos are pulled for each inspection operator. As a group, the operators view the videos and make comments. This process exposes bad habits that can be corrected and holds good habits up to the light so that all operators can adopt them. The ultimate result is a more consistent end product from crew to crew.

Overcoming field problems

CCTV inspection is taxing on the equipment. Rarely does a day go by without some sort of malfunction. It is hard to stay productive when a crew finds itself dead-in-the-water. The manager plays a significant part in how a crew handles such situations. The easiest thing to do is just give up and let the vehicle limp back into the yard. But a good manager will find every possible way to keep the crew working.

Because malfunctions are frustrating, operators’ judgment can easily become clouded. It is your job to walk them through the solution, either over the phone or in person. Operators find such support highly reassuring, and it can make the difference between a productive or lost day.

In addition, equipment maintenance is important. Without proper maintenance, the vehicle and the CCTV equipment will break down unnecessarily. If the equipment is not functioning, footage goals will not be met. Maintenance must be proactive: Regular vehicle maintenance must be completed on a consistent basis.

Often overlooked is maintenance for the generator. It is vital to check the hours regularly and to follow the manufacturer’s maintenance recommendations to the letter. You must set aside time for crews to perform maintenance. In this way, you can reduce breakdowns dramatically.

A well-organized maintenance program can save significant time and money. Every maintenance task performed and problem found must be documented on each vehicle and each piece of equipment. Thorough maintenance records can be a valuable tool when identifying recurrent problems and tracking warranty issues.

Making it work

It takes time to become a successful CCTV inspection manager and to build a high-functioning program. Along the way, you should accumulate as much knowledge as possible, and then use it to shape the program. By constantly looking at ways to improve the process, you can streamline your program into a highly productive operation. As underground infrastructures continue to age, the industry needs visionary managers to take pipeline inspection into the future. n

Jim Aanderud is owner of Innerline Engineering, a video pipeline inspection company based in Corona, Calif.