Shop Maintenance During Slowdown / Shutdown

How to Tool Up for a Tuneup

As it is when a shiny new CNC machine tool hits the floor, maintenance and repairs around the shop require that you “tool up” with the right equipment. 

Each manufacturer is different, but here are a few of the things you should have on hand:

• Painting supplies: Ready to paint the shop red (or blue, green and purple)? You'll need paint, of course, but also sandpaper, masking tape, patching compound, rollers and brushes (or better yet, a sprayer), plastic dropcloths … you get the idea. 
• Lockout/Tagout: Most shop equipment carries enough current to present the risk of electrocution and death. A lockout/tagout station and accompanying procedures are a must if you're going to be digging inside electrical cabinets.

Check out our Lockout/Tagout product selector:

• Spare parts: Replacing the wire cutter, guides, filters, and flush nozzles on the shop’s wire EDM? Nothing is worse than having an expensive machine torn apart only to find you're missing a critical component.

• First-Aid Kits: Accidents happen, especially when people are performing tasks to which they are unaccustomed. Be sure there are plenty of Band-Aids, gauze, tape, and eye dressings on hand, along with a good dose of common sense.  

Here's our Summer Plant Shutdown Preventive Maintenance Checklist :)

(Download this checklist.)

Fall Protection Checklist

To prevent falls, you’ll need to check on everything from lighting to leaks, including:

Lighting

__Are there enough lights on aisles, walkways, stairs and ramps?

__Are existing lights in working condition? Do bulbs need replacing?

Walking Surfaces

__Are walkways and stairs kept clear?

__Are walkways and stairs marked appropriately?

__Are floors and floor mats in good condition?

__Are floors and floor mats free of surface defects or edge damage that could catch on feet or rolling equipment?

__Are any pieces of equipment leaking, creating slip hazards?

You’ll also need to check stairways, ladders and escalators for hazards, and make sure all safety markings are in good condition. OSHA’s Checklist for Recognizing Slip, Trip and Fall Hazards provides more detail on the type of repairs that might be needed.

Hazard Communication

Summer shutdowns can be for more than maintenance; you can also use the time to review your documentation and safety communication for toxic and hazardous substances.

__Do you have an up-to-date written hazard communication program?

__Is chemical-specific information available through labels and safety data sheets?

__Are safety data sheets accessible during every work shift?

__Are safety data sheets available for every hazardous chemical in use?

You can learn more about the specific information needed on labels and data sheets at OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200(g)).

Scaffolding and Ladders

When in good repair, scaffolding and ladders can decrease the risk of falls from height. Are your ladders and scaffolding:

__Free of cracks, loose rungs and sharp edges?

__Free of dirt and grease?

__Have slip-resistant grips?

__Not loaded beyond the maximum capacity for which they were built?

For more details on scaffolding safety requirements, see OSHA’s Scaffolds Standard (29 CFR 1926.451). For more details on ladder requirements, see OSHA’s Stairways and Ladders Standard (29 CFR 1926.1053).

Respiratory Protection

A summer shutdown is a good time to ensure that personal protective equipment, including respirators, is in good repair. Are respirators:

__Clean, sanitary and in good working order?

__Stored to protect them from damage, contamination, dust, sunlight, extreme temperatures, excessive moisture and damaging chemicals?

__Packed or stored to prevent deformation of the facepiece and exhalation valve?

__Stored where they are accessible to work areas?

__Stored in containers that are clearly marked?

__Regularly inspected?

You can learn more about respirator requirements by reading OSHA’s Respiratory Protection Standard (29 CFR 1910.134). OSHA’s PPE Assessment checklist offers tips on signs of wear to look for in other pieces of PPE.

LOTO Checklist (Lockout/Tagout)

Use the summer shutdown to review which machines need to use a lockout/tagout procedure and ensure that locks and tags meet OSHA standards. Are LOTO devices:

__Readily available?

__Authorized for the particular equipment or machinery?

__Durable, standardized and substantial?

__Inspected at least annually?

It’s also important that LOTO procedures be followed carefully during a summer shutdown, when maintenance may be performed on machinery and equipment. Check whether any new or overhauled equipment is capable of being locked out. Learn more about lockout/tagout procedures in OSHA’s Control of Hazardous Energy Standard (29 CFR 1910.147).

Machine Guarding Checklist

Machine guards help protect workers from serious injury, but they may need frequent maintenance. Check to see if machines designed for a fixed location are securely anchored and if guards:

__Are firmly secured?

Are free of:

__Visible cracks or tearing

__Bulges or dents

__Holes (unless holes are part of the design)

__Have been tampered with or removed?

If machine guards are removed for maintenance during the shutdown, make sure they are replaced. You can read more about machine guard safety requirements at OSHA’s Machinery and Machine Guarding Standard (29 CFR 1910.212).

Electrical Systems Checklist

Prevent shocks and other injuries by making sure your electrical systems are safely set up.

__Are plugs, cords and outlets in good repair?

__Is equipment only used for its designed purpose?

__Is equipment designed for indoor use being used only indoors?

__Are circuit breakers or fuses used with the right rating?

Are cords near:

__Heat, oil or sharp edges?

__Cutting surfaces or power saws or drills?

__Are extension cords three-wire type?

__Are all power supply systems grounded?

__Are all electrical circuits grounded?

__Is all electrical equipment grounded?

Read more about electrical systems requirements in OSHA’s Electrical Wiring Methods, Components and Equipment for General Use Standard (29 CFR 1910.305 and 29 CFR 1910 Subparts I, P and S).

Emergency Systems Checklist

Will your facility be ready if there’s an emergency? Do you have:

__Fully stocked first-aid kits?

__Automated external defibrillators?

__Fire extinguishers?

__Shelter-in-place supplies?

__Adequate emergency lighting?

__Clearly marked and lit exits?

Read OSHA’s Emergency Illumination checklist and Fire and Explosion Planning checklist for more details.

Security Systems Checklist

Security systems can help prevent workplace violence. Check that:

__Access to and freedom of movement around the facility are restricted to people who have a legitimate reason for being there

__Door locks are functioning

__Windows are secure

Closed-circuit cameras and alarm systems are in working order, including:

__Panic buttons

__Silent alarms

__Personal electronic alarm systems

OSHA’s Workplace Violence Checklist helps employers identify potential hazards.

Are you planning to perform a summer shutdown? Share your best practices.

Dirty metalworking fluid can cause a host of problems for your CNC machining operation and can be harmful to machinists—if not cared for properly. Here are the top reasons for keeping your coolant and filters clean and maintained—with advice on how to manage it (click).

Lengthy shutdowns can lead to potentially costly problems in your coolant sump. As the COVID-19 outbreak forces some manufacturers to contemplate extended shutdowns, here are proven steps you can take to protect your equipment when production slows.

#1: Keep Your Sump Coolant Fluids Moving

#2: Maintain Your Sump Coolant Solution’s pH Levels

#3: Lab-Test Your Sump Coolant Fluids Frequently

Another Recommendation: Find a Good Sump Pump Doctor

Continuous skimming, monitoring pH and concentration levels, keeping machine tools clean and in top working order—these are all good recommendations that will maximize the life of any metalworking fluid. There comes a time, though, when the machine sump must be removed, cleaned and recharged with fresh coolant. In many shops, this unpleasant task means drawing straws or playing a quick game of rock, paper, scissors to see who gets stuck with the dirty work.

There is a better way. Whether you call it a sump sucker, sump doc, or sump shark, anyone with more than a handful of CNC machine tools should seriously consider investing in one. Instead of slippery floors, chips and rags everywhere, and an hour or two of backbreaking work, sump cleaners are fast and clean. Wheel one of these self-contained units up to the machine, remove the sump’s access panel, and get sucking—15 minutes later and you’re back in business. Some units clean and filter the old coolant as they work, while others are equipped with a “clean side” reservoir containing fresh coolant—either way, sump docs are a smart investment if you’re aiming for the lowest coolant costs and best machining performance possible.

Along this same topic, what do you think of this advice from one of our Better MRO users?