Serving People though Facility Maintenance

by Andrew Pust

Incorrect diagnosis of a problem is perhaps the number one factor behind the wasteful expenditure of large amounts of money and time in the maintenance
department. Why are we so willing to squander the resources that God has entrusted us with? In most cases the answer can be traced back to pride or haste. Proverbs 18:3 speaks about the place that understanding has in communication. “He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.” We need to apply the same principle to troubleshooting. While an honest mistake can be costly, it is still just a mistake and should become one of the building blocks of experience. However, to proceed with a course of action before really understanding the problem is nothing short of foolish. We are being irresponsible with the resources God has entrusted us with if our standard operating procedure includes three or four trouble-guesses and their accompanying cost before we finally happen on the right solution.

Troubleshooting is actually more of a science than an art. Art requires a certain amount of innate ability in order to excel. Science, on the other hand, produces predictably accurate results as long as predetermined rules are followed completely, regardless of prior experience or ability. We think of troubleshooting as an art because we have watched a specialist in action, and it looked to us like he poked around, waved a few tools in the air, and then pulled the correct diagnosis right out of the air. The truth is that he followed a specific list of things that told him where to look, what to look for, and in what order to look at them. The procedure brought him to the right answer. It seemed like magic to us, because he did not refer to a piece of paper or a book; but that is only because he has followed the same routine repeatedly, and it had become his habit.

There is no reason that every facility maintenance person cannot become a competent trouble- shooter. A good troubleshooter always follows procedure, is willing to learn something new, asks lots of questions of those who already know, and is not afraid to call a professional when necessary. Below are some tips for troubleshooters.

1. Look, listen, and touch. The majority of problems we face can be diagnosed without any other tools than our own senses. We automatically do this many times a day by comparing current conditions with what we know to be normal. I would warn you to think carefully and touch cautiously. If you are not sure it is safe, keep your fingers away!

2. Don’t jump to conclusions. Use the information that accompanies a reported problem as a guide rather than as a shortcut. The one who reported the problem may think he knows how to fix it, and that information may prove useful, but it is still your responsibility to properly diagnose and correct the problem. A mistake at this point is all yours. Also beware of letting a similar problem and its solution from three days ago cloud your thinking.

3. Start at the beginning. It is usually the obvious that escapes our notice and is often the culprit.

4. Develop a troubleshooting guide. This tells us where the beginning is and what steps two and three and so on are. If you follow the guide and prove the correct condition at each step before moving ahead, it will be very difficult to give an incorrect diagnosis.

5. Admit when you do not know what else to do. There is a time when we must call someone who does know, or we will risk greater cost and possible injury.