Please share your experiences with inspections at work

To put it bluntly: such inspections are irresponsible inspections. The purpose of carrying out inspections on time is to ensure that you follow the designated route during the inspections, and to pay attention to any abnormalities at the site, including sounds, smells, and all other perceptible signs. At the same time, it is necessary to compare parameters such as pressure and liquid level inside and outside the facility in order to make accurate assessments. Operating it indoors is also quite difficult; changes in temperature and liquid level go unnoticed, and it’s unclear how to operate it. In short, management is lax and the systems are inadequate. There is no perfect solution; there is only one way: to ensure proper supervision and establish a system of rewards and punishments. Those who fail to carry out their inspection duties should be fined strictly, and no one who is found to be neglecting their responsibilities should be spared. Personally, I think ideological education isn’t very effective. Such problems in internal operations need to be dealt with seriously................................ Think about it yourself; I don’t want to say too much else or anger you.

Inspections must be carried out on time. Of course, it’s undeniable that few people are able to do this on schedule; the main reason is that many operators have a good understanding of the manufacturing processes and the operation of the equipment. Moreover, they only take over their shifts after conducting thorough inspections.

A good example of effective inspection practices can be found at the lubricant hydrogenation unit at Shanghai Gaqiao Refinery – there is a schedule for these inspections. For instance, the inspection of the first station takes place at 8:15, and the supervisor personally inspects that site; by 8:30 it’s time to move on to the second station, so the time allocated for the second station is around 8:30, with no more than five minutes allowed. Does the supervisor in their workshop also stand at a certain spot from time to time to check whether someone is conducting inspections at that time? That would be bad if it weren’t there! ~

Inspections are absolutely necessary. I have visited several factories, and in some of them the inspection dates on the signs were still from the previous day – that’s extremely irresponsible. Inspections must truly serve their purpose; they cannot be just a formality. Only by preventing accidents in advance can we ensure safe production. There are many things that cannot be detected from the control room, especially in key and hazardous areas, where no negligence is allowed. It is essential to establish a comprehensive and thorough inspection system, and to evaluate performance strictly in accordance with this system; there is no room for any slackness

Inspections are necessary in China because equipment such as devices, instruments, detectors, and alarms do not meet the required standards. In many foreign refineries, inspections are not carried out; one reason is the high quality of the equipment, and another is the large number of probes installed in the facilities. They are prone to causing personal safety accidents during inspections. In the event of an accident, there will be minimal casualties or none at all.

The quality of inspections reflects a worker’s competence as well as their level of enthusiasm for work. Moreover, the professional competence and skill level of employees are also inseparable from corporate culture as well as the training and education provided to them. The rules and regulations established by many companies are primarily aimed at front-line workers; they are very detailed and comprehensive, with many strict requirements. But the rewards are few. Moreover, the wages of most factory workers are not high; so how can people maintain high productivity? Therefore, whether it’s improving the quality of employees, strengthening management, adopting more humanized approaches, or providing better benefits for front-line workers. Everyone’s enthusiasm and sense of responsibility will naturally increase.

I believe that every company carries out thorough inspections during shift changes, as it is related to their own interests. In routine inspections, there is a need for mutual reliance; relying solely on penalties isn’t enough – incentives should be used to boost employees’ enthusiasm, otherwise there will be complaints everywhere；

I used to work in management; the previous system required inspections once an hour at the ground level and every two hours at the tower. After becoming aware of the shortcomings of that inspection routine, I changed the schedule – inspections are now carried out once an hour at the ground level and once per shift at the tower. The results have been good; the operators conduct their inspections more carefully and are able to identify problems more effectively. As a good manager, one must learn to be flexible.

The key is to ensure supervision and inspection; without it, it becomes a mere formality； There should also be an economic reward and punishment system ； Assessments can be carried out on a team basis, taking advantage of the role of team leaders; however, it is essential to grant these leaders certain powers, and penalties must be imposed promptly

Employees’ sense of responsibility is very important. Although there are inspection records for each hour, over time, filling out those records becomes a mere routine task; it’s not really processed in one’s mind at all. Last year, when checking a gauge, it was found that the pressure in the distillation tower was significantly above the normal level. This was recorded on the operation sheet, but no one noticed it, as no one bothered to think about why. What’s more frustrating is that it was clearly different from the values recorded a few hours earlier, yet no one realized it: L:L…… Therefore, it’s necessary to strengthen the reward and punishment system, as well as provide regular training. :(

I believe that from a management perspective, it is necessary to adopt a humanistic approach to employee inspections, while at the same time establishing strict and detailed management systems with clear rewards and punishments. Our devices originally relied on on-site flip-over inspections, once per hour, which made it difficult for administrators to conduct checks. Later, an electronic inspection device was introduced, which can accurately record the time it takes for the inspector to reach each location, ensuring that every inspection site is checked on time. However, when setting up inspection points and determining their contents, it is necessary to take human factors into account; important points must be checked every hour, while regular inspection points should be checked once a day. This way, employees will not feel resistant to performing these tasks as if they are unnecessary labor. In addition, incentive measures should be implemented carefully: those who identify potential hazards and address them promptly are rewarded, while those who fail to detect such hazards and subsequent crew members do so, or if accidents occur as a result, are subject to strict punishment. Assessments are conducted on a monthly basis, with evaluations at the end of the year. The key to incentive measures is to ensure fair treatment and strict implementation; otherwise, negative effects may arise. :lol

Inspections are not merely about putting up signs; the main purpose is to check and verify the operating condition of the equipment as well as various related operational parameters. This is not only required by regulations but also necessary to ensure everyone’s safety and the smooth operation of the equipment. Our company is currently carrying out the “On-site Inspection Documentation” initiative with great enthusiasm; I personally think it is very necessary and it has produced good results.