Uptime Doesn't Just Happen ...

Aug. 1, 1999
In the 1970s, a friend met me in the gym daily. We would trade encouragement, then he’d practice basketball moves. He made MVP that fall. Another example of success is Cal Ripken. We all know about Ripken’s record, but how did he set it? Planning and preparation were key. Sports records don’t just happen. And neither does uptime. As a plant engineer, I had several 2000A breakers, 25 years old, with

In the 1970s, a friend met me in the gym daily. We would trade encouragement, then he’d practice basketball moves. He made MVP that fall. Another example of success is Cal Ripken. We all know about Ripken’s record, but how did he set it? Planning and preparation were key. Sports records don’t just happen. And neither does uptime.

As a plant engineer, I had several 2000A breakers, 25 years old, with no history of maintenance. I wanted three spares. But accounting said “Since these breakers never trip, they work fine.” Explanations of how breakers work fell on deaf ears. A subsequent failure didn’t just happen. Poor planning produced failure. Maintenance by panic guarantees the loss of uptime and sends both jobs and profits to competitors — many of whom are offshore.

The great law of uptime is this: The more you cut out of the preparation stage, the more effort you need to cure the resulting problems. Those problems don’t just happen. Regardless of choice, we plan. How do you prepare for uptime? Do you ride a trial and error merry-go-round? Or do you identify potential problems ahead of time, so you can avoid them? By failing to plan properly, you plan to fail.

You can overplan, but normally we suffer from insufficient planning. Take a balanced approach to planning, and you should be successful. What is a balanced approach? When you make plans of any sort, you first set your eyes on your goal: making MVP for example. Or making uptime happen. When it comes to uptime, you first identify your critical loads, and then you identify the things you can do to keep them running. Then you incorporate those things into a plan and work the plan—consistently.

Planning takes center stage in this issue, as it should in life. Why not use the ideas in this issue to refine your own plans? If you approach EC&M and www.ecmweb.com with the purpose of getting useful information, well, that sounds like a good plan to me.

About the Author

Mark Lamendola

Mark is an expert in maintenance management, having racked up an impressive track record during his time working in the field. He also has extensive knowledge of, and practical expertise with, the National Electrical Code (NEC). Through his consulting business, he provides articles and training materials on electrical topics, specializing in making difficult subjects easy to understand and focusing on the practical aspects of electrical work.

Prior to starting his own business, Mark served as the Technical Editor on EC&M for six years, worked three years in nuclear maintenance, six years as a contract project engineer/project manager, three years as a systems engineer, and three years in plant maintenance management.

Mark earned an AAS degree from Rock Valley College, a BSEET from Columbia Pacific University, and an MBA from Lake Erie College. He’s also completed several related certifications over the years and even was formerly licensed as a Master Electrician. He is a Senior Member of the IEEE and past Chairman of the Kansas City Chapters of both the IEEE and the IEEE Computer Society. Mark also served as the program director for, a board member of, and webmaster of, the Midwest Chapter of the 7x24 Exchange. He has also held memberships with the following organizations: NETA, NFPA, International Association of Webmasters, and Institute of Certified Professional Managers.

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of EC&M, create an account today!

Sponsored Recommendations

Electrical Conduit Comparison Chart

CHAMPION FIBERGLASS electrical conduit is a lightweight, durable option that provides lasting savings when compared to other materials. Compare electrical conduit types including...

Don't Let Burn-Through Threaten Another Data Center or Utility Project

Get the No Burn-Through Elbow eGuide to learn many reasons why Champion Fiberglass elbows will enhance your data center and utility projects today.

Considerations for Direct Burial Conduit

Installation type plays a key role in the type of conduit selected for electrical systems in industrial construction projects. Above ground, below ground, direct buried, encased...

How to Calculate Labor Costs

Most important to accurately estimating labor costs is knowing the approximate hours required for project completion. Learn how to calculate electrical labor cost.