Accountability

I recently entered a discussion with some independent vibration analysis consultants who were relating stories of clients who do not read the reports and actually some who ignored warnings of impending failure.  The machine that started this discussion eventually failed – although no one was injured.

Never one to shy away – I ventured into the discussion from a reliability and management point and view and like Jeff Shiver says – BAM – the conversation was electric.

You can read the MaintenanceForums.com thread here
http://maintenanceforums.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/3751089011/m/603109922
but the long and short of it was that I submitted that communication is not communication unless it is received.  It is not enough to color code some troubles on a report and consider your responsibility absolved.

They took a different point of view – and many of them had good reason – they had lost clients for being too forceful when pointing out failures. 

It just makes you stop to appreciate who we each have our own point of view that we filter all information through.  They are not wrong – but there is a huge problem that still needs to find solution – as when you read the thread – you will see this is not isolated.  In fact I think if I would not have posted so early in the discussion – we could have collected dozens of “can’t fix stupid” client stories.

So the questions here are:

1)      What is the responsibility of the PdM Service contractor when a potential failure is detected and reported?

2)      What is the responsibility of the person or department who hired him/her?

3)      What suggestions would you have to solve these communication and responsibility issues so we can create a safer, more reliable workplace and hopefully a stronger, more robust organization?

Terry O