by Heinz Bloch, P.E., Editor | Jan 2, 2022 | Plant Operations, Safety Matters, The Bloch Files
One of the primary responsibilities of a Reliability Professional is the detection, questioning, and resolution of repeat failure events. Human lives may be at stake (thousands of them, at that). Figure 1 is a fitting reminder that pumps were involved in...
by Ken Bannister, MEch (UK), CMRP, MLE, Editor | Aug 8, 2021 | Plant Operations, Safety Matters
Whether you believe in climate change or not, there’s no denying that Mother Nature has been acting in strange ways, not only across North America, but around the globe. In the past year alone, regions of the U.S. and other countries have experienced...
by Howard Penrose, Ph.D., CMRP | Mar 27, 2021 | Asset Management, Safety Matters
The move toward digital transformation throughout industry is clearly important. Yet, except in the IT departments of many plants and facilities, there still seems to be enormous misunderstanding as to which physical assets and systems at sites should be considered...
by Heinz Bloch, P.E., Editor | Mar 19, 2021 | Plant Operations, Safety Matters, The Bloch Files
Engineers and other professionals involved in improving equipment reliability often observe that more work is to be done than budgeted or ever anticipated by management staff. Experienced observers frequently see a need to close the gap between “professed...
by Ken Bannister, MEch (UK), CMRP, MLE, Editor | Mar 6, 2021 | Lubrication Corner, Safety Matters, Workforce Issues
Safety in the workplace is paramount. Few people would disagree with this statement, especially working professionals in the maintenance and lubrication fields, who, for the most part, are well trained in this area. When it comes to the handling and transfer of...
by Drew Troyer, CRE, CMRP, Principal, T.A. Cook, Editor | Feb 27, 2021 | Safety Matters, The Sustainable Plant
While industrial facilities can have a very positive impact on the communities and economies where they are located, they can also create some risks for the people and ecosystems that are near them. In the past, I’ve written about the importance of creating...
by Heinz Bloch, P.E., Editor | Feb 12, 2021 | Asset Management, Safety Matters, The Bloch Files
The overwhelming majority of small-turbine-overspeed-trip devices are mechanical: They incorporate a spring-activated trip bolt that moves out and contacts a trip lever whenever a preset overspeed is reached. The overspeed trip setting is selected at the time of...
by Randall Noon, P.E. | Dec 5, 2020 | Learning from Mistakes, RAM's Human Factor, Safety Matters
The following is an amalgam of several similar event investigations. Details that would otherwise allow a specific company or person to be identified have been generalized, combined, or removed. The purpose of this brief study is to illustrate specific principles and...
by Bob Williamson, CMRP, CPMM, MIAM, Editor | Sep 11, 2020 | Plant Operations, Safety Matters
Why is it that many people on the plant floor use compressed air to clean their machines and the floors around them? It’s easy. That’s why. The problem is compressed air can be the most expensive and most ineffective and damaging way to “clean” machine♦s. Think about...
by Drew Troyer, CRE, CMRP, Principal, T.A. Cook, Editor | Aug 16, 2020 | Asset Management, Safety Matters, The Sustainable Plant
Methane is the primary component of natural gas. As a country, the United State has been rapidly transitioning, and continues to transition from coal to natural gas as the fuel of choice for generating electrical power. That’s a good-news story for the environment...
