What is a turnaround shutdown?

Industrial plants and refineries schedule periods when operations are halted to allow for renovations and repairs. These periods are called turnarounds or shutdowns. Jobs involved with making the turnaround run smoothly include scheduler, planner, and project manager. Schedulers outline the timetable for what needs to happen before, during, and after the shutdown. As a planner, your job duties include researching vendors to complete the work or repairs that need to be done during the turnaround, estimating labor and materials costs, and establishing vendor contracts. Project managers oversee all operations during the plant shutdown and work with schedulers and planners to develop an efficient and cost-effective maintenance plan.