by Heinz Bloch, P.E., Editor | Mar 2, 2020 | Newsletter Column, The Bloch Files, Workforce Issues
It has now been roughly 20 years and four months since I met with the reliability team of a Well-Known Petrochemical Company—let’s call it “WKPC”—to discuss ways to improve the organization’s reliability performance. During about four hours of discussion, we...
by Bob Williamson, CMRP, CPMM, MIAM, Editor | Feb 24, 2020 | Newsletter Column, Plant Operations, Workforce Issues
The spreading coronavirus epidemic in China and elsewhere will most likely show us how a global supply chain can be interrupted by an unanticipated human cause. A localized human health emergency rarely affects global businesses. But, when the virus in a global supply...
by Heinz Bloch, P.E., Editor | Feb 17, 2020 | Newsletter Column, The Bloch Files, Workforce Issues
Those who no longer stand up for what is right have plenty of company. Like dead fish, they swim downstream, in accordance with the tide. Their sense of self-preservation takes over, and their consciences become dulled. I’ve seen this in the reliability field,...
by Ken Bannister, MEch (UK), CMRP, MLE, Editor | Feb 10, 2020 | Newsletter Column, Safety Matters
One of the hallmarks of a best-practice maintenance organization is its preparedeness and ability to respond to emergency situations, whether they have occurred or could occur. The definition of an emergency is commonly understood to be a situation or occurrence that...
by Heinz Bloch, P.E., Editor | Feb 3, 2020 | Maintenance Management, Newsletter Column, The Bloch Files
Perhaps you, too, have seen a storeroom packed full of startup spares (usually two wear parts or parts that, in the past, failed due to “random coincidence”). In any event, “random coincidence” is how my car dealer’s service manager explained things...
by Drew Troyer, CRE, CMRP, T.A. Cook/Accenture, Editor | Jan 27, 2020 | Newsletter Column, Plant Reliability in Dollars and $ense
You’ve no doubt heard the old saying, “What gets measured gets done.” The statement is partially true. In reality, what gets rewarded gets done. As it happens, in the real world, what gets measured is usually what gets rewarded. So, we must be very careful about what...
by Heinz Bloch, P.E., Editor | Jan 20, 2020 | Newsletter Column, The Bloch Files, Workforce Issues
Mark Twain has been credited with a quote to the effect that the owner of a book who won’t read it has no advantage over a person who cannot read. We would call such a person an “analphabet,” and he or she surely would not feel flattered by the moniker. Today’s...
by Bob Williamson, CMRP, CPMM, MIAM, Editor | Jan 13, 2020 | Newsletter Column, RAM Tools & Methods
In the world of essential capital assets (facilities, plants, equipment, infrastructure, buildings, etc.), we must embrace the guiding principles of continuous, incremental improvement. Whether it’s discreet manufacturing, primary metals, petrochemical, foods,...
by Heinz Bloch, P.E., Editor | Jan 6, 2020 | Newsletter Column, The Bloch Files, Workforce Issues
Are you at a point in your work life where you are mentoring others? Whether you answer yes or no, you’ve probably had one or more mentors who have helped you along your own professional-development journey. I had some excellent mentors when I entered the work...
by Bob Williamson, CMRP, CPMM, MIAM, Editor | Dec 23, 2019 | Newsletter Column, Workforce Issues
“Unplanned equipment downtime and changeovers are eating up our productivity. Our equipment has to perform better, be more reliable. We need to change the way we operate around here.” When the above type of directive comes from top management, there’s no doubt...
