What Happens During Meter Calibration

[Boing89]

@Boing89 Hey! Ex RAF here too! If the values of the measurements are being recorded for certification the meter should be in calibration - the values are not valid without it - it's a requirement. I also use a Calibration Card before testing, takes 2 mins and confirms nothing amiss since calibration was carried out.

Cheers mate, that means the 18.99 Amazon specials all the other guys use that have never seen a calibration sticker probably shouldn’t be getting used to record current draw during maintenance.

 

[45140]

An MFT or other instrument will not suddenly go out of calibration the date of the inspection so a little leeway would be acceptable, although strictly speaking using out of calibration equipment is contrary to the requirements of GN3 and thus leaves the user/Company in a difficult place were something to go wrong.

What is more worrying is the standard of managerial behaviour being demonstrated by the Company - which is indicative of a poor safety culture.

The various Forms that record tests also record the serial number of the test equipment and thus were an incident to occur the HSE would pull the test records for the Equipment used. Also using non-calibrated equipment gives the Insurance Company a massive get-out as most if not all will require equipment to be maintained and tested in accordance with manufacturers or other instructions.

Had that type of scenario once in an earlier life with a supplier with a poor safety culture. During a special audit we identified (amongst other failings) long gaps between calibration, so I simply called the MD and advised that as we could not rely on their QA system ensuring that Equipment that was in use on our sites was in date and fully calibrated, that we were suspending their Approval and they would be pulled off site, with responsibility for costs associated with delays to the programme and downtime to other Contractors directly affected. Worked wonders !

The threat of an in depth technical audit is usually a fantastic way of getting things done.

 

[Boing89]

The problems come from the buy out of a smaller company by a larger one. The service manager for all technicians is legacy the larger company and there’s a good knowledge base and understanding of all these things in that part.

The area I work in was originally the smaller company although I was employed after the buy out. The service supervisor has been assumed to have the same abilities as his peers in the other part of the company and so been given freedom to work. In reality he’s an incompetent idiot who doesn’t realise he’s out of his depth. He also refuses to believe that the guys that work for him could possibly have a better understanding of these things than he does.

I’ve a good relationship with the service manager and we’re slowly changing the culture but it’s hard work. For instance there were proper unsafe practices going on that could have killed someone. When he found out he immediately stopped the work and had a Safe System of Work (SSoW) written. The SSoW extends the time taken by about 30% and there was a huge kickback from the guys. Because there had never been an injury they couldn’t see what the problem was. I’ve had to insist on working to the new SSoW at times with some of them who were more than happy to stand underneath an unslung 50kg hoist and just “take the weight quick”. The service supervisor in private still thinks the new SSoW is a waste of time and tells the guys that.