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Multi-craft or Multi-Screwup?

Aug. 9, 2016
OSHA requires workers to be “qualified,” and so does a proper repair.

Larry, Curly, and Mo work in a multi-craft plant. None of them ever earned a Journeyman’s card in any trade. Their supervisor sends them out to fix a production line that went down. The 10 HP drive motor smells hot, and after some DMM measurements they decide to replace it.

While Larry and Mo align the replacement motor, Curly notices a leaking process pipe. He replaces the gasket, but puts it in backwards. To ensure a good seal, he tightens down the flange bolts extra tight (this deforms the gasket, ensuring a leak).

With the motor aligned, Larry and Mo tighten the mounting bolts. Emulating Curly’s good workmanship, they tighten the bolts extra tight (this warps the mounting feet, ensuring vibration will be excessive).

Larry had the good foresight to bring a grease gun. He’d never been trained to wipe the zerk (the mushroom-shaped fitting that the grease gun nozzle clamps onto), so the grease he pumps into the bearings pushes store room dirt into the bearing cavity. It was incompatible grease, so those bearings were goners anyhow.

OSHA requires workers to be “qualified,” and so does a proper repair.

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