From the Plant Floor

From the Plant Floor is a monthly column that explores reliability challenges faced by organizations and solutions to overcome them. In the column, Plant Services Contributing Editor Jeff Shiver shares common-sense approaches over a broad range of topics affecting engineering, maintenance, and operations.

Featured Article

Beware of AI-driven maintenance plans filling your CMMS with non-value work
Beware of AI-driven maintenance plans filling your CMMS with non-value work
Beware of AI-driven maintenance plans filling your CMMS with non-value work
Beware of AI-driven maintenance plans filling your CMMS with non-value work
Beware of AI-driven maintenance plans filling your CMMS with non-value work
Planned Maintenance

Beware of AI-driven maintenance plans filling your CMMS with non-value work

Jeff Shiver demonstrates how PM checklists generated using AI tools often miss the precision tasks that address your asset’s unique operating context, and can vary between multiple...
Steps to address the critical skills shortage in industrial maintenance
Steps to address the critical skills shortage in industrial maintenance
Steps to address the critical skills shortage in industrial maintenance
Steps to address the critical skills shortage in industrial maintenance
Steps to address the critical skills shortage in industrial maintenance
Workforce Development

Steps to address the critical skills shortage in industrial maintenance

Jeff Shiver shares short- and long-term approaches to overcome the lack of qualified maintenance and reliability workers.
2023 industry wrap-up: The best of From the Plant Floor
2023 industry wrap-up: The best of From the Plant Floor
2023 industry wrap-up: The best of From the Plant Floor
2023 industry wrap-up: The best of From the Plant Floor
2023 industry wrap-up: The best of From the Plant Floor
From the Plant Floor

2023 industry wrap-up: The best of From the Plant Floor

In this year-end wrap-up, we highlight Jeff Shiver’s most popular, most insightful columns.
Are Standard Job Plans Worth The Investment To Your Maintenance Team
Are Standard Job Plans Worth The Investment To Your Maintenance Team
Are Standard Job Plans Worth The Investment To Your Maintenance Team
Are Standard Job Plans Worth The Investment To Your Maintenance Team
Are Standard Job Plans Worth The Investment To Your Maintenance Team
Planning and Scheduling

Are standard job plans worth the investment to your maintenance team?

Jeff Shiver says unlock the potential of your historical data by transforming it into a library of reusable job plans.
Take Steps To Quantify The Value Of Your Preventive Maintenance Optimization Efforts
Take Steps To Quantify The Value Of Your Preventive Maintenance Optimization Efforts
Take Steps To Quantify The Value Of Your Preventive Maintenance Optimization Efforts
Take Steps To Quantify The Value Of Your Preventive Maintenance Optimization Efforts
Take Steps To Quantify The Value Of Your Preventive Maintenance Optimization Efforts
Preventive Maintenance

Take steps to quantify the value of your preventive maintenance optimization efforts

Jeff Shiver says both KPIs and qualitative feedback are crucial to capturing tangible results.
Is Templating Maintenance A Power Play Or A Shortcut To Failure
Is Templating Maintenance A Power Play Or A Shortcut To Failure
Is Templating Maintenance A Power Play Or A Shortcut To Failure
Is Templating Maintenance A Power Play Or A Shortcut To Failure
Is Templating Maintenance A Power Play Or A Shortcut To Failure
Maintenance

Is templating maintenance a power play or a shortcut to failure?

Jeff Shiver says the trick is to know your assets well enough to recognize where templating should stop and more individual care should start.
Understanding Human Error In Asset Reliability
Understanding Human Error In Asset Reliability
Understanding Human Error In Asset Reliability
Understanding Human Error In Asset Reliability
Understanding Human Error In Asset Reliability
Failure Mode and Effects Analysis

Understanding human error in asset reliability

Jeff Shiver says people commit errors, can identify errors, and can provide effective solutions.
Calculating Your Value Contribution To The Business 1
Calculating Your Value Contribution To The Business 1
Calculating Your Value Contribution To The Business 1
Calculating Your Value Contribution To The Business 1
Calculating Your Value Contribution To The Business 1
Workforce Development

Calculating your value contribution to the business

To drive success, Jeff Shiver says employees need to add value beyond their compensation costs.
Are Your Fme As Focused On The Asset Or Pant Level
Are Your Fme As Focused On The Asset Or Pant Level
Are Your Fme As Focused On The Asset Or Pant Level
Are Your Fme As Focused On The Asset Or Pant Level
Are Your Fme As Focused On The Asset Or Pant Level
Failure Mode and Effects Analysis

Are your FMEAs focused on the asset or plant level?

Jeff Shiver says take your continuous improvement efforts to the next level by expanding the scope of failure modes and effects analyses as needed.
Change Management
Change Management
Change Management
Change Management
Change Management
Change Management

How to overcome your workers’ natural resistance to change

Jeff Shiver examines ways to create a tipping point in your change leadership approach.
potential-failure-conditions
potential-failure-conditions
potential-failure-conditions
potential-failure-conditions
potential-failure-conditions
Preventive Maintenance

How to improve the identification of potential failures at your plant

Jeff Shiver says many tools can assist to determine potential failure conditions, but each type of asset has different needs.
workforce-training-knowledge
workforce-training-knowledge
workforce-training-knowledge
workforce-training-knowledge
workforce-training-knowledge
Workforce Development

3 common plant problems and how to overcome them

Jeff Shiver says clearly define responsibilities and implement a system to track performance and knowledge sharing.
goal-plan-roadmap
goal-plan-roadmap
goal-plan-roadmap
goal-plan-roadmap
goal-plan-roadmap
Maintenance

Develop a step-by-step roadmap to achieve maintenance success

Jeff Shiver says to deliver more successful execution, develop and carry out an initial plan, then build from there.
personal-development-goals
personal-development-goals
personal-development-goals
personal-development-goals
personal-development-goals
Workforce Development

Investing in yourself: Why personal development is essential for achieving career goals

Jeff Shiver says the perfect environment takes engaged management and individuals who commit to life-long learning.
workers-plant-floor-observation
workers-plant-floor-observation
workers-plant-floor-observation
workers-plant-floor-observation
workers-plant-floor-observation
Maintenance

Managers: Make time for time on the plant floor

Jeff Shiver says it can be tempting to let the world go by from behind your desk, but you’ll lose trust and engagement.
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plant-maintenance-equipment-machine
plant-maintenance-equipment-machine
plant-maintenance-equipment-machine
plant-maintenance-equipment-machine
Maintenance

Create space for proactive maintenance at your facility

Jeff Shiver says if there’s little to no window for standardized work at your plant, here’s how to step up your game.
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ask-jeff-shiver-what-if-the-data-is-wrong
ask-jeff-shiver-what-if-the-data-is-wrong
ask-jeff-shiver-what-if-the-data-is-wrong
ask-jeff-shiver-what-if-the-data-is-wrong
Home

What if the data are wrong?

You need time to immerse yourself in the data to understand what is occurring.