Sponsored by:

Incidental Finds

The paths of thermographers can lead in many directions within the course of a single day. Whether inspecting equipment in accordance with an established route or trying to find the shortest way to the next piece of equipment, we may pass by numerous pieces of equipment. Some might be familiar; others might be an encounter of the first kind. In addition to our thermal imaging, we maintian a sharp eye for visual anomalies as well.

In the routes that my partner and I complete on a daily basis, there are numerous pieces of equipment that we pass by that are not part of our schedule. Over time we have learned to be sensitive to things that are out of the ordinary. Remember the old railroad warning: “Stop, Look, and Listen”? The stop part applies to the scanner but the assistant should be in the look and listen mode observing not only the item(s) scanned, but also the surrounding environment.

On many occasions we have found exceptions that do not pertain to our field; nevertheless, we make a point to record them and advise appropriate personnel. We have even gone so far as to generate what we call an “incidental file.” Whenever we come across one of these “incidentals” we’ll snap a picture, notify the right person(s) about what we saw or heard, and then place the info into our incidental folder.

Having a record of these kind of finds is good PR and helps in selling your services, and it may help to prevent a catastrophic event that otherwise might have gone unnoticed.

Submitted by
John Pavlic
General Motors Lordstown Metal Center
Warren, OH