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Make Procedures Helpful, Part 4
In our last issue, we discussed using a diagnostic flow chart. This doesn't work for all systems or all organizations. An alternative approach is to do sequential testing against a series of possible causes (Check for A, if not A then go to B, etc.). The key to making this approach work is to limit the number of causes to be checked. How can you decide which ones to include?

Make a spreadsheet and list eight to 12 failure modes across the top (you can pull these from your repair logs). Include an "Other" column. Now comes the tricky part. You need to sort these from most likely (on the left) to the least likely being (on the right). One way to do that is to have several senior repair techs rank these based on their judgment. For example, the most likely gets a 1, next most likely a 2, and so on.

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Operation
NEC in the Facility
In our previous issue, we showed that Art. 516 is not as complex as it appears. Essentially, you choose from three options. After you make your choice, however, you have three additional possibilities to consider. Sections 516.3(D), (E), and (F) tell you to do the following:

1. If equipment is within a Class I location, then apply the requirements of 516.4.
2. If equipment is not within a Class I location (or a Class II), then apply the requirements of apply 516.5.
3. Read through 516.10 to see if any of the equipment you’re working with is considered "special equipment."

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Safety
Stick your finger onto something hot, and you immediately pull it away because it hurts. Unfortunately, we can't rely on pain to tell us when our hearing is being injured. The damage is typically minor and painless at the time. Nevertheless, the damage is permanent and cumulative.

It's better to wear earplugs than to wish, years later, that you had worn them. Remember this when you operate a lawnmower, snow blower, or even a stereo.

Earplugs filter out certain frequencies, rather than simply dampening all sound. This provides a safety and productivity bonus. Earplugs allow you to hear conversation better in a high-noise environment. This means less chance of misunderstanding other people, which improves your job performance and your safety.