Machinery Lubrication magazine published by Noria Corporation
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1487844
www.machinerylubrication.com | November - December 2022 | 21 ML Take a proper sample from each drum of oil that goes into crit- ical equipment. Coinciding with tip number one, drums of oil are frequently mislabeled. If we are talking about a world-class lubrication program, then sampling new drums is simply a no-brainer. The two primary reasons to sample new drums are to check for the correct oil and get a good particle count of that new oil. New oil is not clean oil, and if the plant has cleanliness and dryness targets (an essential part of being a world-class plant), then we need to know how dirty that new oil is and how much moisture is in that oil. After figuring that out, we can determine how much the lubricant needs to be filtered and dehydrated before being put into service. Have written procedures posted conspicuously on the walls, in the digital receiving system and pretty much anywhere else that you could possibly put a document where it will be viewed often in the receiving area. When personnel see the procedure constantly, it becomes second nature. Psychologically, there is something to constant reinforcement of change. When you walk through the door at work, and everyone is talking about the new way to do things, and everyone is on board with the new way, then that becomes the way. Speaking of "the new way," effective quality control starts with culture, and culture starts with morale. If the workplace's morale is low, personnel will be more resistant to change. If the morale is high, they will be more receptive to change. For example, if morale is low, then employees are more likely to have a "don't care" attitude. A demoralized workplace is one of the most depressing environments to be in, and it becomes contagious; on the other hand, so does a positive workplace. Trust and verify. Trust that your technicians are doing the correct procedures and taking precautions when it comes to receiving new lubricants. However, always verify that they are upholding the stan- dards set by the facility on receiving new lubricants. After all, a lube program is only as strong as the foundation allows it to be. ML About the Author Travis Richardson is a technical consultant for Noria Corporation. He holds a Level II Machine Lubrication Technician (MLT) certification and a Level III Machine Lubri- cant Analyst (MLA) certification through the International Council for Machinery Lubrication (ICML). Contact Travis at trichardson@noria.com. START YOUR FREE SUBSCRIPTION www.machinerylubrication.com