Yeah, baby, you read that headline right. Judges in Jackson County, Illinois, are all wet.

That’s because their offices and courtrooms have leaks. The County Board is studying estimates for roof repairs.

In the meantime, New Pig would like to offer Jackson County a $50 credit toward any of our Leak Diverters for Roofs, Ceilings or Pipes. They’re easy to install and will drain away drips so they don’t interrupt proceedings, make floors slippery or damage documents.

I’m going to email Jackson County to make sure the officials know how to take advantage of this offer. You may want to email them as well to urge them to take us up on it.

Yes, this could be considered a bribe. But if you don’t take it, Your Honors (all together now) …

YOU’RE ALL WET!

Drips image © Tomislav Stajduhar – Fotolia.com
Gavel image © Volodymyr Vasylkiv – Fotolia.com

Click here to watch a new video at newpig.com. Nifty shapeshifting.

Form-A-Funnel™ = Coolest. Funnel. Ever. Mold it to do all kinds of jobs.

Just etch a housefly near the drain holes to decrease spills by 80%. Keep providing a urinal mat for that remaining 20%.

I feel so predictable.

Here are some highlights from my latest article in Pollution Engineering Magazine on waste management strategies that can help your facility safely handle wastes and cut disposal costs.

• Keep waste collection points near work areas so workers can immediately handle production wastes.
• Make sure that employees have the necessary tools and equipment for waste collection.
• Clearly label containers to keep wastes segregated as needed (hazardous, recyclables, etc.).
• Minimize waste. For example, use compactors to reduce volume and oil-skimming absorbents and equipment to make production fluids last longer.
• Consider waste exchange programs.
• Involve employees in waste management planning.
• Break in new practices with trial runs.
• Maximize worker buy-in by communicating how new practices increase safety, protect the environment and save money.

The main theme of this facility maintenance article is: When possible, repair rather than replace.

Among the many good points are:

• You can realize significant savings both in increased efficiency and in avoiding the cost of parts (one example: a $5,000 repair vs. an $18,000 replacement)
• There are also environmental dividends: Efficient production lines use less energy, and a repair means avoiding the waste generation and resource consumption involved in manufacturing a replacement part
• If you lack in-house capabilites, consider contracting an repair firm; some even place reps on site to monitor needs, troubleshoot larger problems and coordinate warranties

So watch for opportunities to repair. Put down some PIG® Absorbent Mat while you’re at it to avoid slip hazards such as drips and spills of oil or coolant.

Image © ioannis kounadeas – Fotolia.com

Yep, Easy-Off® isn’t just for the kitchen any more. Put a can in your chemicals cabinet and you’ll find a time to skip your usual solvent.

I read this tip here. Remember gloves and proper ventilation.

And hey—put down some PIG® Absorbent Mat first for easier clean-up.

Image © Thomas Mounsey – Fotolia.com

Click here to read the first installment of a new column at Reliable Plant magazine. The author, Wayne Vaughn, recently retired from 28 years as head of maintenance at a Harley-Davidson plant.

I’m not sure just where this story is headed, but I assume it has a happy ending. The words that intrigued me are:

When I entered the field of maintenance years ago, I had one advantage: I knew absolutely nothing about the field of maintenance. 

The gist is that while Vaughn educated himself in the field over a number of years, he had no choice but to rely on the knowledge of the maintenance veterans that he (ironically) managed. He calls them his biggest asset.

At the same time, he set out a vision that he needed the workers to rally behind. I get the idea that it wasn’t easy going (he calls this creating “very public failure potential”) but that he thinks it’s vital, because he says:

by getting engagement of your people and letting them see where you want to go, and getting their input to that final destination, you are far more likely to succeed than if you just did it on your own.

The column ends with his team about to propose a strategic plan. I made a note to check back and see what happens.

I’ve been checking out dry ice blasting today. Cool stuff. Pun intended, but it’s true:

* Strip off anything from sludge to smoke without damaging the underlying surface
* Clean anything from a locomotive to a circuit board
* No extra residue from the material that’s blasted—it just disappears as a harmless gas
* I gather that even the dry ice itself (frozen CO2—did you know that’s what dry ice is?) is a process byproduct and therefore recycled material

What’s not to like?

Plus, the blasting is just really cool to watch.

This short video compares dry ice blasting to sandblasting and has a neato visual that shows how material is blasted off the underlying surface (looks like a little atom bomb!)

This longer video shows all the various applications, including many in industry.

P.S. In my next post, I’ll tell how New Pig partially owes its existence to sandblasting.