Pay $3k to keep out of trouble, or more…

2020-07-212020-09-07
by James Reyes-Picknell

Pay $3k now to keep out of trouble or more to get out of jail later. Your plant asset performance is down and you know it. It’s only a matter of time before there is an accident. You need to improve but funds are limited.

The expert consultants will want to begin with some sort of an assessment. They will identify problems and offer solutions, for a price (likely $50k or more). You can’t afford it. Some consultants might even be former employees. Ask yourself, “if they worked here before, then why didn’t she/he fix what was wrong when they were here?” Consider getting a different consultant but you will still struggle with a big inconvenient truth! Read more “Pay $3k to keep out of trouble, or more to get out of jail” →

Asset Management

How to keep the boss out of jail

2020-07-162020-09-07
by James Reyes-Picknell

Here’s a case where they didn’t know how to keep the boss out of jail! In Jan 2019, a mine tailing dam (the structure used to contain waste from mining operations) collapsed. The video below shows the event. 259 people were confirmed dead and 11 declared missing. Cause – liquefaction – a commonly occurring phenomenon, and one that this particular mine had been warned about. Outcome – fatalities and associated human cost, suspended operations (for a brief period), company reputation, criminal charges (executives and engineering consultants). Risk management is an often neglected part of our job. Read more “How to keep the boss out of jail” →

Assessment

Business Case Estimator Insights

2020-07-092020-09-07
by James Reyes-Picknell

Our business case estimator insights show you both savings and earnings potential for improvements in maintenance and reliability. If you are reading this, you probably think there is some opportunity to improve your operational reliability and maintenance performance. You might want to create a business case for change that you can use to get senior management approval and funding. You are in the right place. Read more “Business Case Estimator Insights” →

Asset Management

Maintenance and Reliability Maturity – 2

2020-06-092020-09-07
by James Reyes-Picknell

In part 1 of this 2 part series, “Maintenance and Reliability Maturity”, I point out that achieving the maximum value from your physical assets will require excellence in 2 main dimensions, efficiency, and effectiveness. Those are described more fully in our recent book, “Paying Your Way“. I also promised a Maintenance and Reliability Maturity Assessment tool. That tool is now available to you, our readers.

The link below will take you to a web-page that is only accessible via the link – it is not included in our website’s menus or other links. When you click on it, you will see a brief explanation of how to use it and then a series of 10 questions, 5 on efficiency, and 5 on effectiveness. In a few of them we use terms that have precise definitions, so please read those definitions (in light blue boxes) before entering your answers to the questions in the light green answer cells. Read more “Maintenance and Reliability Maturity – 2” →

Asset Management

Asset Prioritization and Criticality

2020-06-022020-09-07
by James Reyes-Picknell

Asset Prioritization and criticality are used to provide a structured approach to determining the relative organizational risks and failure consequences associated with assets. This provides a means for the organization to focus on critical risks to the business.

Do you understand where your asset risks are, and their potential consequence?

Risks are categorized by the nature of the risk that the organization needs to manage. Risk categories can include: Read more “Asset Prioritization and Criticality” →

Business case

Emerging Stronger from Crisis

2020-04-222020-09-07
by James Reyes-Picknell

Emerging stronger from crisis – that’s our current challenge. We know we can do it. What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger. Our businesses can emerge stronger too, but that won’t happen without leadership and choice.

Capital asset-intensive industries that have had a chance to pause have been wise if they used the opportunity to catch up on deferred maintenance and review their proactive maintenance programs for effectiveness. Read more “Emerging Stronger from Crisis” →

KPIs

Uptime Insights – 6 – KPIs and Performance Management

2020-04-082020-08-31
by James Reyes-Picknell

Most of us wouldn’t argue that if you can measure it, you can improve it. Performance measures do indeed drive results, both good and bad. Knowing where you are now and what you want to achieve by some point in the future do help you to outline your path towards your objective. Once you know your path, you then need a way to make sure you are still on it. And once you’ve past way-points, you also need to know that what you’ve achieved so far, continues to be sustained. Read more “Uptime Insights – 6 – KPIs and Performance Management” →

KPIs

Uptime – Essentials: you need these

2020-01-032020-08-31
by James Reyes-Picknell

In the first edition, the second tier of the pyramid was called “control”. Of course the harder we try to control something, the more complex we make things, and the more likely they will go awry. If you have teenage children you can see that very clearly! You want them to learn and mature, but if you try to control how they do it, you will have trouble. Less control, while providing guidelines and advice, and letting them make their choices will work far better. In “Uptime” the emphasis is on successful practice, not control. Read more “Uptime – Essentials: you need these” →

Asset Management

Show me the money!

2019-11-112020-08-31
by James Reyes-Picknell

Benjamin Franklin’s axiom, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”, has been used most commonly when referring to health care. It is also highly appropriate in reliability and maintenance circles.

Of course, we complicate it in business by wanting to know what the prevention will cost and what we save by avoiding the cost of the cure. Read more “Show me the money!” →

Asset Management

Why do you let your budgets hold you back?

2019-11-112020-06-20
by James Reyes-Picknell

The “no brainer” opportunity

Let’s say that you run your own business. You have an opportunity to invest some money and get a payback that is more than your total investment within the first year (payback is more than 100% in the first year). Moreover, that payback will continue for many years. Would you invest? Read more “Why do you let your budgets hold you back?” →

Do you understand where your asset risks are, and their potential consequence?

The “no brainer” opportunity

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