November 27, 2023

Be Safe Out There

"Safety is a full-time job, don't make it a part-time practice." - Anonymous

Think about how many safety procedures you follow every day. You may not realize how often you subconsciously try to be safe out there. Seatbelt on before driving. Checking mirrors before passing or turning. Donning gloves and goggles before using a drill, electric saw, or commencing on a home welding project. Even something as simple as using hot pads on a bowl of microwaved food. All of these can be considered safety procedures or protocols. We do them all the time because, through experience, we've learned the consequences if we don't.

The workplace is no different. Many businesses have safety measures in place, even for visitors. Hard hats in the construction zone. Gloves, glasses, goggles, special shoes, or clothing worn in certain areas. Requirements for protection from long hair getting caught in machinery.

Some businesses are so serious about safety that they'll display it to the general public. I remember an ammunition plant that reported on a sign how many days had passed without an accident.

Mapcon Technologies is also concerned about safety in the workplace. Not just our own, but yours as well. Its superior CMMS has two primary features to assist you with safety along with several other options. Using them, you're able to stay compliant with regulatory agencies such as OSHA and JCAHO that require written safety measures for equipment.

Checklists

The admin person creates checklists for preventive maintenance and other work orders in: Admin>Maintenance Administration Menu>Checklists Menu. We'll look at the three items in this section.

Checklist Keywords – As with all lists, you'll see the Lookup tab to view the list of checklist keywords. This has a Sort By dropdown menu but since we're looking at keywords, you might not have anything else here. The other sorting menu is for the zones in your facility. (Industrial Maintenance; Facility-Building Maintenance, etc.)

The Main tab creates those Keyword IDs along with a description of the checklist and lets you assign them to your sites. If you have only one site, that's easy.

Keywords are beneficial time-savers that help organize assets. Name the keyword (Inspection-Trucks), then a brief description. (Checklist for inspection of trucks.) Yes, it is simple, but the checklist steps themselves will be the same for all trucks. No need for duplication.

Create/Edit Checklists – Here you create and revise checklists and add them to work orders or preventive maintenance (PM) procedures. These may include safety procedures before, during, and after the job is completed.

Of course, you have the Lookup tab. Double-click on a record to view the details.

In the Main Simple tab, you create your checklists.

A name and description are required. Add that keyword you created before, then decide whether this is a Simple or an Advanced checklist.

In the main window, you'll see step one ready for details. For Simple checklists, add the steps to the job. Remove oil plug to drain oil; Replace oil plug; Add four quarts of oil.

This is a simple example, but it's, uh, a simple checklist.

If you choose Advanced, a Multiple Choice Options window opens. Each step can be a question for the technician to input an answer. You can check the box making this a required step to complete before moving to the next. You can have a response label, such as "Steps Taken." There's also an option if this preventive maintenance job went through revisions to make a particular step in the checklist inactive.

The Last Response tab is a great record of those Advanced step answers. Double-click and see the work order that generated them.

"Where Used" is the assignment of this checklist to the asset(s). Options include the Work Order Type and the box to Always Add this checklist when working on the equipment.

The next two tabs show Open and Completed Work Orders with this checklist. Double-click individual work orders to review.

The Sites and Revision tabs are self-explanatory.

There is an approval button at the bottom for checklist authorization.

When you save the record, a Copy button will appear next to the Checklist Style allowing you to copy the checklist and modify it.

Print Checklist Form – This is a good report to have for supervisors to get an overview of the checklists. They're also another way for workers to complete checklists. This form will be printed with any work orders using checklists. Technicians follow the list and tick off each item on the printed form with dates and initials.

One checklist option is located in: Assets>Quick Checklists. You can call up checklists for Equipment and Locations. Follow the five steps listed and when you save, the system generates work orders from the checklist(s) chosen. For more details, click the video button for a tutorial.

Safety Menu

Admin>Asset Administration Menu>Safety Menu

For this discussion, I'll focus on only two items.

Safety Procedures – While this may seem like a redundant checklist, think of it as a small but important set of procedures and then leave the regular checklists for the actual step-by-step work. Gloves, goggles, turn off/unplug the machine, and other requirements the worker pays attention to before the repair or other maintenance. Clear any obstructions. Pour only in a well-ventilated area. There are numerous examples of procedures that could be on this list.

A common use is for copying/pasting the manufacturer's recommended procedures from another document.

To create the procedure, give it a name and provide as many details as needed. You can assign the procedure to equipment, location, cost center, or route and attach it to a work order, or a PM, just like a checklist.

MAPCON also has an auto-add feature to always add when creating work orders for assets that require safety procedures. Be sure to note the procedural approval section and check out the revision history to stay up-to-date on any changes.

Safety Form – Similar to the checklist form, safety procedures can be printed. This might be beneficial to post on a bulletin board, entrance door, or wall near the equipment being repaired. They also print with the work order.

Conclusion

Safety is no laughing matter. A little precaution and a double-check that protocols were followed after the fact can save costs beyond equipment and downtime. MAPCON offers checklists and safety procedures to attach to work orders.

With checklists and safety procedures, you can assign them to a piece of equipment, a location, a cost center, or a route with optional data fields for more description. You can see those various options under the Where Used tab.

Both checklists and safety procedures benefit companies because they allow you to input important information about your maintenance operations for technicians to follow.

If you have questions, a safe bet is to call MAPCON support. 800-223-4790