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November 9, 2010 A Penton Media Publication Vol. VI No. 21



CONTENTS
You and CMMS, Part 6

Electrical Troubleshooting Quiz

Some Repairs Matter More Than Others,
Part 3

NEC in the Facility

Safety

Code Change Conferences Are Coming


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About This Newsletter
This twice-a-month
e-newsletter is brought to you from the publisher of EC&M magazine.

MRO Insider addresses topics such as:

  • Working with management and supervision
  • National Electrical Code® on the production floor
  • Safety procedures and programs
  • Troubleshooting techniques
  • Equipment maintenance and testing tips
  • Managing motors and generators
  • Trends in training and education
  • Managing energy use


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    Maintenance
    You and CMMS, Part 6
    Nearly everyone with a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) uses it to schedule and track maintenance — and nearly everyone underutilizes it. The early CMMS products put paper PM processes into electronic format, but today’s CMMS can do far more. Two examples include:
    1. Analyze task relationships. Tasks may be related in some way whereby scheduling them together saves time and money. Consider timing (e.g., available downtime), required skill set, and involvement of contractors.
    2. Compare maintenance data trends to maintenance intervals. If a motor's alignment is consistently well within tolerance, why check it every quarter?
    Dig into your CMMS to see what tools it has for optimizing your maintenance scheduling.

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    Repair
    Electrical Troubleshooting Quiz
    A month ago, one of three major production lines started shaking. The problem has gotten worse, and now your boss wants you to solve this problem. You look in the CMMS and find that the main drive motor has been aligned three times. There was no "as found" or "as left" alignment or vibration data, just an entry stating it was aligned.

    How can you efficiently solve this?

    Visit EC&M's website to see the answer.
    Some Repairs Matter More Than Others,
    Part 3
    Equipment that makes the most money per hour and/or has the tightest delivery schedule usually must be fixed under pressure-cooker conditions. How is your record on this?

    If you look in the repair logs, do you see shorter repair times for the same types of repairs as you go from earlier repairs to more recent ones? Why or why not?

    Urgency sometimes leads to counterproductive decisions. The palletizer is down, so the first available tech is sent there. However, that tech hasn't done a repair on this equipment before and isn't even familiar with it. After lots of head scratching and research, all of which have been done by somebody else on previous repairs, the tech begins actual troubleshooting.

    To read more on this story, visit EC&M's website.

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    Operation
    NEC in the Facility
    In the previous issue of this newsletter, we looked at some electrical inspection rules covered in 80.13 (in Annex H). Also in 80.13, we find that the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) has the authority to conduct investigations of electrical fires, explosions, or other hazardous conditions [80.13(11)]. This is one of the five major functions identified in 80.1.

    But who determines who the AHJ is? "The governing body" does [80.13]. Just who is this "governing body?" It's the "electrical board," and we find the requirements for it in 80.15.

    Each state determines which standard to adopt as its electrical regulations. This may be the current NEC. In some cases, it's the previous edition of the NEC with the state's amendments.

    To read more on this story, visit EC&M's website.
    Safety
    In recent years, you've probably heard about NFPA 70E far more often than you previously did. But it's no simple document. Here are three key concepts to understand so you can properly apply NFPA 70E:

    1. Understand that OSHA's position has always been to de-energize equipment before any work is performed on it.
    2. Don't ask, "What can I get by with?" and try to finesse the requirements. Instead, ask, "How can I protect myself from arc blast and arc flash while servicing this equipment?"
    3. Use the arc flash label (required by the NEC 110.16) as a point of reference, not as an authoritative determination of whether arc flash hazards exist and to what degree. Note that absence of a label does not mean absence of arc flash danger.

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    Show & Events
    Code Change Conferences Are Coming
    The 2011 NEC is coming. Will you be ready for the changes? By attending one of EC&M's Code Change Conferences, presented by NEC expert Mike Holt and sponsored by EC&M University, you'll learn everything you need to know about major NEC changes that will impact your work, whether you're an electrician, electrical engineer, electrical designer, plant/facility electrical maintenance person, or electrical inspector. Check out the following conferences for a location and time that's right for you.
    • Philadelphia November 29-30, Hilton Philadelphia City Avenue
    • Boston December 7-8, Venue to be determined
    • Orlando December 13-14, Hyatt Regency Orlando Airport

    If you're a registered professional engineer and attend one of the 2011 NEC Code Change Conferences, you'll be granted professional development hours (PDHs), a requirement for re-licensing. The program is also certified as an approved provider of Code Update training by those states requiring continuing education hours for re-licensing of journeymen, master electricians, and electrical contractors.

    Register now to attend one of the these events. For more details on the conferences and a full program, visit EC&M's website.
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