Machinery Lubrication magazine published by Noria Corporation
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1316458
ML www . machinerylubrication.com | November - December 2020 | 31 ML • Leak source detection tools and labor • e mechanical wear from lubricant starvation on the machine • e loss of production of machine during shut down • e labor and materials to clean up leaked oil • Additional cleanup costs if uncontained and lubricant contaminates an ecological area (including any possible fines and penalties) • e disposal costs of the leaked oil and the materials used to clean up • Energy, labor and material costs to pump new or and possible flushing requirements • Possible additional oil analysis costs to verify new lubricant condi- tions • Possible waste any final products contaminated with leaked oil In addition to monitoring for leaks, certain steps should be followed when leaks do occur. is may include labels, used of dike materials and prioritized/scheduled remediation actions. Prioritization could consider equipment criticality, volume (and cost) of the lubricant and ease of repair. After leaks are remedied, a detailed leak report should be docu- mented, including any findings from a Root Cause Analysis performed to avoid a repeated event. Training Leakage Management protocols help minimize risk. To accomplish this, role-specific training is required. is is also true for Handling Used Oil & Materials and managing all aspects of Energy Conserva- tion, Health and Environment. All plant individuals will need some core training to ensure there is awareness to the risk to human health a lubricant may pose. For those handling the lubricant and making lubricant selection decisions, such as lubrication technicians, reliability engineers and lubrication program managers, additional training should be expected for leak management procedures and the impact lubricants may play in energy conservation or the environment. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) Making good lubrication decisions becomes much easier when key observations from past activi- ties are applied to future considerations. Monitoring performance variables and establishing these as metrics help with this process and creates a pace for continuous improvement. e last factor in this stage are the KPIs for Energy Conservation, Health & Environ- ment. ese will include various leading and lagging indicators on how well the plant is making improvements. For example, there could be metrics to compare the volume of lubricants applied to machines versus the volume of lubricant disposed. Over time, the difference indicates how much lubricant has leaked or been otherwise consumed. Simply tracking oil usage and disposal can be trended to help monitor for efficiency gains and waste reduction as lubrication practices are optimized to require less lubricant changeouts. Similarly, other KPIs should be considered for monitoring safe disposal practices and energy