Industrial MRO

Is following NFPA's Hazard Risk table good enough? Companies sometimes put safety behind expediency when it comes to personal protection from electrical hazards. For company officials removed from the danger, they need to understand that personal protection can also protect the bottom line. Does your company put your personal safety before downtime considerations? Does it allow sufficient time for regular maintenance without asking electricians to "fix on the fly?"

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Industrial MRO, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Industrial MRO today.

My father spent his entire working life at one company. He cared about his company, even when they made decisions he didn't like. In turn, the company kept him, even during tough economic times. For better or worse, that mutual sense of responsibility has changed over the years. Taking ownership — either for your job, or for your employees — seems to have lost its value, as has pride in one's company. Do employees care about their jobs? Or companies about their employees? Has 'taking ownership' for your work gone the way of the dodo?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Industrial MRO, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Industrial MRO today.

Computerized MRO advances such as computerized maintenance management software (CMMS) is supposed to make preventive maintenance easier and keep production running smoothly. But even the best tool can't do a job if you leave it on the truck or in the tool crib instead of putting it in your belt. And new tools often require new training to achieve real success. Does your company buy into technological fads, but fail to put the money behind training an integration that would make the technology work as advertised?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Industrial MRO, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Industrial MRO today.

Who has a say in new product development? Too often, maintenance professionals have to clean up the mess of a poorly designed manufacturing line. Time and money could have been saved if engineering had requested MRO's input during the design phase. Does your company have mechanisms or processes in place to solicit MRO input when designing new products and production lines?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Industrial MRO, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Industrial MRO today.

Industrial operations and utilities often deploy electrical switches, busses, and lines that are expected to last far beyond the standard seven years expected of industrial equipment. Many times, these lines have been in operations for decades, and when a key part fails, the question becomes: Do you pay to completely replace the line to accommodate the newly designed version of the switch, or do you find someone to recondition the failed part and bring it back to spec? Can you tell if remanufactured parts real?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Industrial MRO, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Industrial MRO today.