PLANT SHUTDOWN & START-UP
Master the Planning, Execution, and Control of Plant Turnarounds to Minimize Downtime and Ensure Safe, Efficient Restarts
Course Schedule
| Date | Venue | Fees (Face-to-Face) |
|---|---|---|
| 02 – 06 Feb 2026 | Dubai, UAE | USD 3495 per delegate |
Course Introduction
Shutdowns and start-ups are critical periods in any plant’s lifecycle. These high-risk, high-cost events must be executed with precision to ensure equipment integrity, personnel safety, environmental compliance, and business continuity. Poorly managed shutdowns can lead to delays, cost overruns, and post-startup failures.
This practical 5-day training equips participants with the tools, techniques, and best practices needed to plan, manage, and optimize shutdown and start-up activities. It covers every phase—from scoping and planning through to execution and commissioning—based on international standards and real-world experience in high-risk industrial environments.
Course Objectives
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
• Understand the full lifecycle of plant shutdowns and start-ups
• Define shutdown scopes, roles, budgets, and timelines
• Develop detailed execution and resource plans
• Identify and mitigate shutdown risks
• Manage contractors, safety compliance, and logistics
• Ensure safe, effective, and timely restart of equipment and systems
Key Benefits of Attending
• Learn industry best practices for minimizing shutdown duration and costs
• Reduce operational and safety risks during critical transitions
• Improve coordination across departments, vendors, and contractors
• Gain practical planning tools, templates, and execution frameworks
• Ensure system reliability and performance post start-up
Intended Audience
This program is designed for:
• Plant engineers and shutdown coordinators
• Maintenance, production, and operations managers
• Turnaround planners and project engineers
• HSE personnel involved in shutdown planning
• Contractors and supervisors supporting major shutdown activities
Individual Benefits
Key competencies that will be developed include:
• Effective planning and execution of turnarounds
• Use of shutdown planning software and schedules
• Contractor and resource management
• Post-startup performance assessment
• Safety and compliance assurance under shutdown conditions
Organization Benefits
Upon completing the training course, participants will demonstrate:
• Reduced total shutdown time and costs
• Improved asset reliability and operational readiness
• Increased safety performance and risk management
• Better cross-functional collaboration during critical events
• Documented lessons learned for continuous improvement
Instructional Methdology
The course follows a blended learning approach combining theory with practice:
• Strategy Briefings – Shutdown lifecycle, risk management, and scheduling principles
• Case Studies – Turnaround successes and failures across sectors
• Workshops – Developing shutdown plans, risk registers, and startup checklists
• Peer Exchange – Shared lessons from field experience and shutdown roles
• Tools – Gantt charts, resource matrices, and commissioning templates
Course Outline
DETAILED 5-DAY COURSE OUTLINE
Training Hours: 7:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Daily Format: 3–4 Learning Modules | Coffee breaks: 09:30 & 11:15 | Lunch Buffet: 01:00 – 02:00
Day 1: Introduction to Shutdown and Turnaround Management
- Module 1: Shutdown Planning Fundamentals (07:30 – 09:30)
• Phases of a shutdown: initiation, planning, execution, close-out
• Critical success factors for safe and efficient shutdowns
• Key team roles and coordination - Module 2: Shutdown Scope Development (09:45 – 11:15)
• Identifying inspection, maintenance, and upgrade tasks
• Differentiating must-do vs. nice-to-do work
• Scope control and change management - Module 3: Work Breakdown and Task Definition (11:30 – 01:00)
• Creating work packages and job cards
• Defining job steps, materials, and required permits - Module 4: Workshop – Shutdown Scope Mapping (02:00 – 03:30)
• Group activity to develop a shutdown scope matrix
Day 2: Scheduling, Budgeting, and Resource Planning
- Module 1: Time Estimation and Scheduling (07:30 – 09:30)
• Techniques: Gantt charts, CPM, PERT, float analysis
• Critical path identification and optimization - Module 2: Budgeting and Cost Control (09:45 – 11:15)
• Estimating labor, material, rental, and contractor costs
• Managing variances and cost tracking systems - Module 3: Resource and Logistics Planning (11:30 – 01:00)
• Labor planning and shift schedules
• Equipment staging, material availability, and temporary facilities - Module 4: Workshop – Create a Shutdown Schedule (02:00 – 03:30)
• Participants build a project timeline for a mock shutdown
Day 3: Contractor, Risk, and Safety Management
- Module 1: Contractor Management (07:30 – 09:30)
• Selection, onboarding, and alignment of third parties
• KPIs and expectations setting - Module 2: Risk Assessment and Mitigation (09:45 – 11:15)
• HAZOPs, job safety analysis, and task-specific risk registers
• Managing shutdown-specific risks - Module 3: Safety Systems and Permitting (11:30 – 01:00)
• Permit-to-work, lockout/tagout, confined space entry
• Incident management protocols - Module 4: Workshop – Risk Assessment Exercise (02:00 – 03:30)
• Team-based risk review of high-impact shutdown tasks
Day 4: Execution and Monitoring
- Module 1: Shutdown Execution Strategy (07:30 – 09:30)
• Execution phase checklist and controls
• Managing daily progress and shift handovers - Module 2: Quality and Inspection Integration (09:45 – 11:15)
• Linking maintenance work with QA/QC inspections
• Punch listing and hold points - Module 3: Real-Time Shutdown Tracking (11:30 – 01:00)
• Use of dashboards, visual boards, and communication tools
• Managing scope creep and delays - Module 4: Workshop – Daily Execution Reporting (02:00 – 03:30)
• Building a daily shutdown status template
Day 5: Start-up, Closeout and Lessons Learned
- Module 1: Start-up Planning and Commissioning (07:30 – 09:30)
• Pre-startup safety review and checklists
• Operational sequencing and startup windows - Module 2: System Handover and Documentation (09:45 – 11:15)
• Mechanical completion, punch list clearance
• Technical handover and documentation - Module 3: Performance Review and Lessons Learned (11:30 – 01:00)
• Post-mortem reviews, KPIs, and continuous improvement
• Building a lessons-learned database - Module 4: Final Exercise & Course Wrap-Up (02:00 – 03:30)
• Team presentations on shutdown planning and execution scenarios
Certification
Participants will receive a Certificate of Completion in Plant Shutdown & Start-Up, validating their capability to plan, execute, and evaluate shutdowns and start-ups with safety, efficiency, and strategic alignment.