Reliability Amnesia!

The condition that occurs when an Engineer, Supervisor, or Manager who once had responsibility for the reliability of your assets gets promoted or transferred to the operations side of the group.

Symptoms of Reliability Amnesia

1.      Ignoring information from Condition Based Technologies that clearly show a major component is in the process of failing. The subject may be overheard saying something like “I can’t afford to stop the line now, if we do I won’t make my production goals.”

2.      Skipping and or putting off Preventive Maintenance Tasks

3.      The subject has an apparent loss of senses and no longer appears to be able to hear squealing, smell hot or burning lubricants or see 2 of 3 drive belts have fallen off a sheave.

4.      He/She is unable to make sound decisions. Even when presented with facts or a business case. (Bob, you do realize that if you continue to run the compressor it this speed it will overheat and self destruct?)

5.      Complete disregard for precision maintenance. (“Put that laser alignment tool away! We don’t have time to align it! Just make it run!)

6.      In extreme cases the afflicted will remove fancy acronyms such as CMRP or CRL from their job title/work profile.

Treatment for Reliability Amnesia

While for years some believed the best treatment for Reliability Amnesia was 3 solid taps to the forehead, centered between the eyes just above the safety glasses with a 2lb ballpeen hammer. We have discovered that including Asset Reliability Centered KPI’s have the same weighting as operation KPI’s seems to cure the inflicted quite rapidly.

If you have ever had one of your colegues experience Reliability Amnesia, please feel free to share your story. Remember, we don’t need to hear or read any names! The stories themeslves can be just as entertaining without names!