Page 8 - May 2023 Track N Times

TECHNICAL TRAINING

Inspections Continued

Step 2: Use your senses. Eyes, ears, nose, taste, and touch. Use four of your five senses to your advantage when

doing an inspection, please do not taste anything on a machine other than your lunch, or a big pinch of Copenha-
gen. But the other four senses all come into play. You can see a hydraulic hose that is rubbing. You can hear an
air leak. You can smell a diesel fuel leak. You can touch, shake, wiggle or pry on a bearing or bushing. Use all of
these to your advantage.
Step 3: Break it down. Like the old saying goes, how do you eat an elephant, one bite at a time. An inspection is
no different, separate the inspection into chewable bites. By this I mean break down the machine’s major functions,
like grinding system, hydraulic system, power system, air system, etc. For example, if the grinding system is too
much to tackle, break it down even more. The Rail Grinders have somewhat of an advantage, as every grind car is
the same, every buggy is the same, and even further, every grind module is the same. Once you inspect a small bite
expand on.

Step 4: Get help. Another common saying is teamwork makes the dream work. Assign part of the inspection to
someone else with clear direction. True story, I once tasked a new hire the job of inspecting all the fire extinguish-
ers. I figured it was a clever way to keep him busy and to learn where all 28 of them were located. A couple of
hours later he reported that he found all 28 fire extinguishers and that all 28 of the fire extinguishers squirted.
Squirted I asked? Yes, they all squirted chemical out. Needless to say, I was very frustrated because every extin-
guisher had to be sent in to be recharged, but I also had to laugh, lesson learned the hard way. So again, clear di-
rection is key if using others help. Also, a fresh or a separate set of eyes may find something you have been over-
looking. Do not be afraid to reach out to others for help. Ask your Assistant Manager, Manager or Product Spe-
cialist if you are questioning a finding. Pictures, texts, phone calls, Facetime are all valuable resources at your dis-
posal. We are all here to help you succeed. Think about this, how many times do you walk up and down the ma-
chine through the course of a shift? What if you looked at one specific thing each time. By the end of the shift, I
bet you would have inspected a dozen items without even trying.
Step 5: What to look for. This difficult to put into words, but you are looking for anything out of the ordinary.
Look for things that are loose, worn or broken. Look for shiny areas or areas where paint has rubbed off. These

are tell-tale indications that something is rubbing or loose. If there is a part that is attached with four bolts and
there are only two holding it together, that is a problem. Pry and poke at things, you will not know how worn a
bushing is unless you attempt to move it up or down. Listen for abnormal noises. Spin a buggy wheel, it should not
make noise, pull on the buggy wheel, it should not move. I cannot tell you exactly what to look for but the more
tenure and experience you have, the keener your eye becomes. Everyone must start somewhere, so the sooner
you start looking and making mental notes of how things are supposed to look the more senses will become tuned
into the normal and the abnormal items will stick out like a sore thumb.

Finally, inspect everything that was worked on during the shift. Circle back after all the tools are put away and the
shift is winding down. Take time to double check or inspect completed work. Nobody is perfect, everyone forgets
to tighten a hydraulic fitting or a bolt now and again. Be proactive and inspect all work performed. You will be
surprised what you find.

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VOLUME 4 : ISSUE 4