Over the last few months, “5+1 S” has served as a small but powerful acronym to describe the removal and continued avoidance of waste in all our business practices. Currents readers have had the opportunity to learn about the five “S” goals of sort, straighten, shine, standardize and sustain in previous articles focusing on lean service. In each of those articles, there has always been a reference to the additional “+1 S” focus on safety.

In late 2016, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a new rule called the “Hazardous Waste Generator Improvements Rule.” In the U.S. over the past 18 months, many states that members do business in have adopted new rules which now affect the management of hazardous waste. Some are beneficial and some could create additional legal exposure to your business.

As anyone who is familiar with insurance inspectors, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and other regulatory bodies knows, there are rather unique dangers in the electromechanical repair industry. Balancing machines and test panels are high on the list. Both require easy access – and both pose significant risk to personnel. In most circumstances, unguarded rotating machinery and temporary electrical connections are cause for great concern.

Como cualquiera que esté familiarizado con inspectores de seguridad, la Administración de Salud y Seguridad Ocupacional de los Estados Unidos (OSHA) y otros entes reguladores conocidos, existen peligros únicos en la industria de reparación electro-mecánica. Las máquinas balanceadoras y los tableros de prueba ocupan un lugar destacado dentro de la lista.

Ambos requieren fácil acceso e implican un riesgo importante para el personal. En la mayoría de los casos, la maquinaria rotativa sin guardas de protección y las conexiones eléctricas temporales son motivo de gran preocupación.

Two case histories point out the need for caution when working with metal sprayed shafts:

• Example 1: When measuring the bearing fit shaft size, the micrometer didn’t feel right; mushy, not solid, although the journal was very close to the specified size. After using two micrometers to experiment with one of these frosted fits, it was discovered that the measurement on one micrometer changed when tightening down the other micrometer and vice versa.
• Example 2: The bearing journals on a large armature began to fail while the armature was coming up to speed in balance stand.

En mi centro de servicio hemos visto problemas en ejes previamente reparados que fueron metalizados. En estos casos recibimos motores para revisión. Después de la inspección y de medir los ajustes de los rodamientos en el eje, encontramos algo que simplemente no se “sentía” bien. Podríamos decir por la apariencia que los ejes habían sido reparados antes de la revisión actual.

As we enter a new and exciting year of operating EASA businesses, we must remember that almost all service centers in the U.S. with either dip or vacuum pressure impregnation (VPI) tanks will be subject to the SARA Title 3, Tier II, reporting requirements. This requirement is part of the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act (EPCRA). The EPCRA involves notifying the state and local community of any hazardous chemical stored onsite in quantities over 10,000 lbs. A hazard material for the purpose of this regulation is anything hazardous under the Hazard Communication standard. In other words, if it has a Safety Data Sheet and you had more than 10,000 lbs onsite at any time during the previous year (2017), then you are subject to this reporting requirement.  For most EASA centers, this will include the VPI, the dip tank varnish, or, in some cases, both varnishes.

While all establishments with 20 or more employees will be subject to the same reporting requirements in 2017, in 2018 there will be requirements for those establishments who have 20-249 employees and separate requirements for those with 250 employees or more.

This webinar will first assist the EASA member in preventing regulatory inspections and also prepare them if such an inspection should occur. Applicable to service centers in virtually all countries, the session will cover:

• Understanding the primary reasons regulatory inspections occur
• Methods to minimize the likelihood of a regulatory compliance inspection
• Preparing your facility for an inspection
• Developing a procedure to implement if a regulator shows up
• Do’s and Don’ts during a regulatory inspection

This recording is from the 2017 EASA Convention and covers the serious issue of counterfeit bearings and how to protect yourself and your customers from this threat.