John Burns

ARS ~ Air Knife System Technology and Implementation – we were presented with the opportunity to partner with the developers of the system technology to provide integration, implementation, and commissioning support throughout a network of 72 facilities, across the United States and a few sites in Canada.

The project was implemented during the height of the Covid-19 Pandemic. Our team faced many challenges with personal safety and travel difficulties.

This system technology was implemented inside of operational facilities, around production hours, and required the cooperation of multiple trade disciplines and partners to accommodate successful project execution.

Here is a snip of the site implementation map for understanding of project scale.

Ian Fulton

My input for Air knife, which I think is worth noting, is the coordination that was required for this project.

The various different locations/contacts required a structured method for collecting/cataloguing and distributing information-so that we could successfully arrive to and then leave a site as complete.  There was now time to go back to every site to fix oversights.  The situation was-finish one site, no move on to the next.  This also required that all of the sites be approached and executed in nearly the same way, though we were using multiple different teams across the country.

We created a roadmap for how to initiate contact with sites and how to gather closeout documentation consistently.  The sites were all a bit different so a high amount of fidelity was given to the site Team leaders in the installation of the air knifes.  We relied heavily on our Team leads experience, as we were not able to create installation drawings.

This structure for collecting information and flexibility on installation (but with adequate materials on site) allowed our Teams(and it was multiple different Teams) to have successful installations of differing configurations and swift close-out documentation submittals.

Nick Goulart

I spent the better portion of 2020 on the road supporting these installations while everybody else had the “15 days to slow the spread,” which lasted a little bit longer than 15 days, lol. This was not an ideal time to travel: restaurants closed, businesses closed, etc. A lot of fast-food drive-throughs were visited!

The Air Knife program was my first introduction to Amazon and a great experience getting to know the way this organization operates. It was a great learning opportunity to be involved with several sites and their leadership. With mentorship from Johnny, this project provided me with the confidence to be in the position I’m in today.

As Ian stated, there were no installation drawings and almost every site was a little bit different. This required field teams to get creative with the installs while trying to be consistent from one installation to the next. Once we had a few under our belts and the process dialed in, we were able to streamline the installation to the point where everyone knew what their task was upon arrival, with little discussion about the job.

I also enjoyed getting to see a lot of the Western US from an interstate as shown in the map. This was probably around 4-5 months of traveling.

Pam Richardson

When the pandemic hit my role as a Recruiter shifted gears. I became the Partner Coordinator for the Air Knife project, searching for and engaging electrical and data contractors across the country. With 72 installations to be completed, we needed a lot of help to complete the projects on schedule.

My Process:  Once the site, or sites, were assigned to me, I researched the location for qualified contractors to install the electrical and data lines. I sent bids to 2-3 contractors in each location which meant learning the lingo and how to follow up.  Once we decided on the contractor, paperwork had to be filled out along with Safety Certification records (Amazon requires Avetta Certification). Since Amazon requires badges to enter the facility, I worked with each contractor to obtain badges, which meant more paperwork and a chance to get to know Amazon personnel. I was also part of the onboarding process, and I completed a final follow-up with each contractor to make sure invoices were sent and paid, that everything went smoothly on the job site, and they were happy with SilMan.

The ARS program with Amazon was a great learning experience for me.  It gave me insight into many aspects of what SilMan is all about by interacting with our engineers, project managers, accounting, etc. I was able to see what it takes to complete a project from the inside out and has made me a better Recruiter.

Dress Warmly: Dress in layers with an outer layer that is wind resistant, and wear footwear that is warm and waterproof. Ensure your layers don’t interfere with your PPE or the task at hand.

Seek Shelter: Working outside? Work with your team to create a work/rest schedule to reduce the impact of cold weather.

Stay Dry: If clothes get wet, the body will chill rapidly. If you are sweating, remove your outer layers to cool down. Bring extra clothes to work.

Slip Hazards: Check surrounding areas for ice to avoid slip/trip hazards while working.