I would like to share my thoughts about “focus.” I’m not taking about focus of the optical-kind but more about staying mentally focused.
No matter what you do in life, if you do it often enough, it can be easy to lose interest in the task at hand. Predictive maintenance inspections can become tedious and boring if you are not careful. Just like anything else in life, if you lose focus you will end up not doing it very well.
I can’t imagine what it must be like to work on an assembly line where your job is to attach the same part to the same widget, all day, every day, all year long. While those jobs are important and vital to our everyday lives, it's that kind of repetitive work that can be mind-numbing. If an assembly line worker were to lose focus the quality of the end product can suffer and it’s also when accidents tend to happen.
I have been doing regular infrared inspections for some customers for more than 15 years now. I know it isn't the same as the assembly line work but, it can become very monotonous looking at the same old equipment, for the same old problems, many times a year, year after year. It can be easy for someone to fall into what I call the “robotic” mode, where one goes through the motions, truly not “seeing” anything. A prime example of the mindless robotic mode would be what many drivers have experienced on a long or repetitive trip. Have you ever been driving down the highway and suddenly realize you cannot remember anything about the last few miles you just traveled? If so, you’re in what I call the “robotic mode.” Yes, you didn’t crash the car or run over anyone (that you can remember), but, what was the quality of your driving and how safe were you and others around you?
I have a few mind games I play to keep from becoming bored with my repetitive inspections. I try to make my inspection into a treasure hunt. I want to find that thing that I have never seen before and that could be of high value to my customer. If it’s a valuable find for the customer, then it is making me more valuable to that customer at the same time.
Another thing I always try to do is communicate with others. I make it a goal on every inspection to find at least one person or more on my route to stop and talk to about what I’m doing and to educate them about infrared technology. This has multiple benefits. By sharing info, I’m building a workplace friendship. The people I take time to acknowledge will, in turn, help me with my task by sharing what they know about the operation and equipment I’m inspecting. Another benefit to talking to others is it allows me a refreshing mental break from the task. After a few years of occasional work-site conversations, you have built a network of people that genuinely want to help you do your job.
Lastly, what I do to help me stay focused is I bring all my senses (touch, sound, sight, smell) to the inspection. I have many years of experience in heavy industry. I use more than just my IR camera to find problems. If I see a beam that is cracked or broken, I report it. If I see a hydraulic system that is leaking, I let the customer know. After being at a site enough times, you learn what things should look and sound like and you may even be able to detect when an odor is out of place. I have at times noticed unusual movement in a structure and vibrations in the floor and reported it to my contact. All of this adds value to the customer and, at the same time, keeps the job interesting.
This boils down to the saying, “Don’t ignore a fire just because you are not on fire watch.” By staying focused you will ensure the quality of your work, keep an extra eye out for the customer, and increase your safety on the job. Being alert and paying attention can even save your life. So, don’t lapse into “robotic mode,” and keep yourself focused!