When handling motors, lifting devices are often needed, whether they be cranes, forklifts or otherwise. Given the risks inherent to lifting, EASA members must exercise caution and ensure our teams are well versed in proper rigging techniques.

Al manipular motores, a menudo se necesitan dispositivos de izaje, ya sean grúas, montacargas o de otro tipo. Dados los riesgos inherentes al izaje, los miembros de EASA debemos actuar con precaución y asegurarnos que nuestros empleados conozcan bien las técnicas de manipulación adecuadas.

Los PCB han sido identificados como un probable carcinógeno para los humanos. Si se le pide a su centro de servicios que recoja un equipo que se sospecha PUEDE contener PCB, haga que lo prueben en campo ANTES de recogerlo. De esta forma, la responsabilidad sigue siendo del cliente. Una vez que recoja un dispositivo que contiene PCB, la responsabilidad es suya.

PCBs have been identified as a likely carcinogen for humans. If your service center is asked to pick up equipment that you suspect MAY contain PCBs, have it field tested BEFORE picking it up. Once you pick up a device that contains PCBs, the responsibility is yours.

This presentation addresses many of the most common safety hazards and situations that face service centers.

Revised September 2022!
EASA's most comprehensive technical document is available FREE to EASA members. Download the complete manual or just the sections you're interested in.

There are many ways that people can manage their well-being. The coronavirus pandemic has had a profound impact on all facets of society. People must take a practical approach to handle the toll on mental health.

Near Miss? Near Hit? Close Call? No one ever wants to hear these phrases. These unplanned incidents have the potential of causing serious damage or injury. A good number of these narrow escapes come from a lack of defining proper processes and procedures. Too many people think “no harm, no foul.” Unfortunately, this does not address the root issue. Someone could have been seriously hurt. Not addressing the underlying problem will undoubtedly allow it to happen again.

Cleaning of electric motor parts is performed in every electrical apparatus service center. This begs the question of whether or not cleaning is being done productively and with minimal safety and environmental consequences.

It happens to just about every EASA service center. A machine shows up for repair; it has leads, and there’s a motor, but the machine is a pump. Most often, it’s a close-coupled pump or a submersible pump. If your response is, “We don’t work on those here,” because you’re thinking, “We don’t know anything about repairing pumps,” you may be turning your back on some very profitable work.

Esto sucede en casi todos los centros de servicio de EASA, aparece una máquina para reparación, con cables y un motor, pero es una bomba. A menudo es una bomba sumergible o de acoplamiento cerrado. Si su respuesta es: “Aquí no reparamos estos equipos” y está pensando: “Nosotros no sabemos nada sobre reparación de bombas” puede que le esté dando la espalda a un trabajo muy rentable.

It’s easy to assume that shipping an electric motor is as simple as putting it on a truck, but nothing could be further from the truth. This article will cover shipping tips and reinforce the fact that shipping includes picking up the motor – not just delivering it. There are some things we (or a trucking company) can do wrong that could result in expensive repairs.

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Hazard Administration (OSHA) recently released revised data for the top 10 OSHA violations for the 2019 fiscal year. For the ninth consecutive year, Standard Number 1926.501: General Requirements for Fall Protection lands at number one with 7,014 violations. This article will help you avoid violating this important standard ... or better yet, avoid an employee injury.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) developed this COVID-19 planning guidance based on traditional infection prevention and industrial hygiene practices. It focuses on the need for employers to implement engineering, administrative, and work practice controls and personal protective equipment (PPE), as well as considerations for doing so.

While there have not been many changes to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements over the past year, it is important to review some of the recent changes and remind you of some upcoming compliance obligations.

• OSHA 300 Recordkeeping & Reporting
• OSHA Reportable Incidents
• Silica & Beryllium Standards
• Hazardous Materials - Tier II Report

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 presentation 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.

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.

The purpose of the DOT, Hazardous Material Shipping module is to assist service center personnel in the important rules and regulations related to the safe transportation of hazardous materials. Among the documents included are tests; a hazmat training brochure; an emergency response guidebook; a guide for hazardous materials marking, labeling and placarding; frequently asked questions related to hazmat training; a brochure on how to use hazardous materials regulations; and a loading and unloading certificate of completion.

The purpose of this Hazardous Waste Management Plan is to assist shop personnel in administering a coherent waste program. The various sections of this plan identify the hazardous, universal, and non-hazardous waste streams generated at this facility and provide specific guidance regarding accumulation, labeling, storage, manifesting, and disposal of the specific hazardous waste streams. Sections outlining personnel training and record‑keeping requirements are also provided.

Approximately 5.6 million workers in the U.S. are at risk of developing various types of illnesses due to their exposure to bloodborne pathogens such as the human immunodeficiency (HIV) and hepatitis B (HBV) viruses and other potentially infectious materials in the workplace. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the number of cases reported. This poses a serious problem for exposed workers and their employer. This standard practice instruction establishes uniform requirements to ensure that procedures to limit the spread of such hazards are implemented, evaluated, and that the proper hazard information is transmitted to all affected workers.

Approximately 16 million workers are exposed to excessive on-the-job noise levels on an annual basis. In addition to causing hearing loss by destroying the inner ear, noise can put stress on other parts of the body causing fatigue and unnecessary psychological stress. This preventable added burden to the body can result in increased injury rates. This poses a serious problem for exposed workers and their employer.  The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Occupational Noise Exposure Standard establishes uniform requirements to make sure that the noise hazards associated with all U.S. workplaces are evaluated and that the hazards associated with high noise are transmitted to all affected workers so that mitigation measures can be instituted.

The welding, cutting and brazing processes expose workers to a variety of hazards including: burns, fire, eye damage, possible lung irritation and damage, electric shock, slips and falls. Numerous injuries and deaths occur each year from the hazards associated with welding, cutting and brazing operations in the American workplace. Most of these injuries and deaths are preventable.