A continuación, le indicamos cómo puede abordar una falla de ingeniería de planta.

Safety cannot be overemphasized, the first things to do is to keep safe and what does SAFE means Survey the area Assess the risk Find a safe place Everytime

When a failure occurs in plant engineering, I quickly assess the situation, identifying the scope, equipment involved, and impact on operations. Safety is paramount, so I secure the area and ensure all personnel are safe. This immediate assessment prevents further damage and prepares for a detailed investigation. I gather relevant data and conduct a thorough root cause analysis, using my expertise to implement immediate fixes and develop long-term solutions to prevent recurrence. I document the incident comprehensively and share lessons learned to enhance overall safety and reliability. Continuous monitoring and follow-up ensure the effectiveness of corrective actions and promote ongoing improvements.

Penso que um diagnóstico ágil, que antecipe problemas potencialmente nocivos para um projeto, não pode ser precipitado de forma leviana. Existem técnicas para identificar causas de falhas que devem ser aplicadas, bem como empregar o conjunto de práticas e conhecimentos que advém do PMBOK fazem diferença na excelência do trabalho.

When it comes to matter of safety, the first thing is Risk assessment and proactive plan to ensure safety. Following the SOP's to sustain the safety. Safety Risks should be counted seriously and to be corrected at the earliest possible.

5Why is used as an escalation tools to troubleshoot/resolve issues in a systematic/ technical process by getting to the root cause to prevent reoccurrence and also as learning working documents. A well documented detailed 5Why should explain the location, date of occurrence, the name of affected machine and part, a full problem detailed description,a picture if necessary as POE(Proof of Evidence), the downtime caused, the name of the witnesses, the steps taken to resolve the issues, the actions to be taken to prevent reoccurrence, the problems detailed must be that,that can be read in both ascending and descending order etc all the above events are necessary to be captured for easy tracking and to prevent reoccurrence.

After controlling the immediate situation, the next crucial step is identifying the root cause of the failure. This requires a thorough investigation, including reviewing maintenance records, interviewing staff, and inspecting the failed components for wear or damage. Using a methodical approach, like the "Five Whys" technique, helps trace the issue back to its source. Understanding why the failure occurred is essential for developing effective corrective measures that prevent future incidents. A detailed root cause analysis ensures that we address the underlying issues, enhancing the plant's overall reliability and safety.

After identifying the problem during assessment phase. It's imperative not just to perform a quick fix but to perform some analysis to know the actual cause of the problem. Tackling the underlying causes of a problem will prevent them from recurrence on a long term thereby improving the MTBF and failure rate of your equipment. Employing RCA techniques like 5whys, Fault tree analysis, Fish bone analysis e.t.c will help you to navigate through to the underlying cause(s) that needed attention. This is a period of interrogation, inspection, review of maintenance records and asset history. The result of this analysis sets the stage for the maintenance approach to be used in ensuring, the machine continues to perform it's intended function.

After pinpointing the cause, the next step is planning the repair process. This involves determining the necessary resources, such as spare parts and tools, and deciding whether to handle the repair in-house or involve external contractors. Time management is crucial; balancing the urgency of the repair with resource and personnel availability is key to minimizing disruption to plant operations. A well-organized repair plan ensures a swift and efficient resolution, restoring functionality while maintaining safety and reliability standards.

Once the underlying cause of the problem is identified. The next thing to do is to plan the repair. This is done by the maintenance planner after confirming the availability of resources needed (skills, spares, tools). Based on industry standards, work instructions and SOP, the time required for completion is planned along and the work is scheduled by the scheduler. The job priority will play a major role in determining how quick it'll be fixed.

When planning a repair safety is top most priority with no shortcut and to do that we need to perform either SAM (safe access to machine) or LOTOTO(lockout, tag out,try-out) depending on the tasks to be carried out in the cases of residue energy and residuals needs to be released LOTOTO should be used and it involves 9steps *identify all energy source *inform others *shutdown the equipment *verify if off * isolate the machine * verify * Tag out * carry out the tasks *Restore machine back to default

With a plan in place, it's time to execute the repair. Ensure the team understands their roles and responsibilities and strictly follows all safety protocols. Clear communication is essential to prevent misunderstandings and promptly address any unexpected issues. The objective is to restore functionality swiftly and efficiently, minimizing any impact on production and maintaining quality standards.

The planning phase has made the job easier up to 50%. It has also helped to reduce the time needed to perform the repair. It's expected of the repair team to communicate clearly among each other and roles should be delegated. There should be a leader on the job who oversees the repair activities all through. During this period, individuals are interacting with the machine in the most direct way, so safety should not be compromised at all. The need to follow work instructions and SOP is key here. A quick JHA should be done where controls and mitigation are provided. All energy sources(electrical & mechanical) should be isolated, tagged , locked and tried out. Everyone should make use of the necessary PPE without exemption of none.

After completing the repair work, verifying the issue has been resolved successfully is essential. This involves rigorous testing of the repaired equipment under normal operating conditions to ensure it performs as expected. As a senior authorized person for LV & HV systems, I ensure the integrity of these tests, adhering to all safety and operational protocols. Monitoring the equipment over time is also crucial, providing assurance that the repair was effective and identifying any residual issues that could lead to future failures. Additionally, I conduct a thorough review of the repair process, documenting lessons learned and updating maintenance procedures to enhance future reliability and performance.

After repair is completed, there is need to verify success of the maintenance activity. The equipment is tested with the right instrument to ensure it conforms to standards and specifications. This ensure its in full shape to perform it's intended functions under stated conditions over a period of time specified. It should be in mind that, if the repair reduces the reliability instead of sustaining it, the repair quality should be questioned. If you can't make it better, don't make it worse. After testing, the data are collated and compared with the manufacturer's specifications. The conformance and how closely both data align, tells the success or failure of repair activity.

Finally, take proactive steps to prevent the recurrence of the failure. This may involve updating maintenance schedules, or making design modifications to improve reliability. As a senior authorized person, I ensure these measures are effectively implemented. Continuous improvement is essential in plant engineering; lessons learned from failures are applied to enhance systems and processes. Preventing recurrence not only reduces future downtime but also significantly contributes to overall plant efficiency and safety. This approach ensures a more robust and reliable operation, fostering a culture of excellence and resilience.

Learning is a continuous process and making it life style will not only improve an individual but the plant reliability, efficiency, availability and reduce a lot of downtime, human error and put safety in checks always

One thing I found helpful is that after the execution repair is been verified successfully. The procedures followed in carrying out repair is noted down step by step and finally stored in the company Maintenance Archive. The key reason for this is that the personal that carried out the maintenance may not be in the company again when that same issues shows up again. If it shows up again is just to visit the maintenance archive and the problem will be solved.