Bad maintenance practices tend to sneak into the way things get done. Here are three more related to “test equipment” that you should guard against:
Bad Practice #59 — Thinking of Test Equipment Calibration as a Luxury.
This defies logic. A maintenance department exists out of recognition that equipment performance degrades. The rationale for the very existence of the maintenance department also justifies maintaining test equipment. And unless you have your own qualified metrology lab, this isn’t self-serve.
Bad Practice #60 — Relying on Employees to Fund Purchase and Maintenance of DMMs and Other “Minor” Test Equipment.
This doesn’t ensure the safety or accuracy of test equipment. Rather than leave the purchase and maintenance of test equipment up to individual workers, purchase it (directly or by reimbursement), then maintain it per the recommended calibration schedule.
Bad Practice #61 — Making it a Hassle to Replace Test Leads.
Yes, good test leads cost money. But don’t practice false economics by discouraging employees from replacing leads that lack obvious signs of damage and are “merely suspect.”
