Belt Inspection Programs Based on Risk of Belt
Hello all!
Currently, our belt inspection program encourages pencil whipping. The operations team doesn't have the staffing to provide belt inspectors, so our FSQA team has taken on the responsibility. The current program is written so that all belts are inspected at start up, each break, shift change, and at the end of the last shift. To effectively inspect each belt, or even a partial rotation, takes up way more time than it was accounted for when the task was handed over.
I've identified belts that are most likely to have limited or no inspection after them (final belts prior to product going directly into a container, which might only get a 125 piece inspection out of 2000 lbs), belts that are difficult to inspect during operations or breaks, and belts that we have identified as contributing to most of our belting foreign material. I've started making a schedule of belts that include these more difficult or riskier belts being inspected more frequently than lower risk belts.
Does anyone here use a belt inspection program that has belts inspected on a rotation, with belts that have a higher likelihood of affecting finished product being inspected more frequently? From an SQF perspective, if all belts are inspected with corrective actions taking place and schedule being lined out, should I be concerned about approaching the program this way? My goal is to improve the effectiveness of the program by removing a task that is so daunting that just checking a box is more tempting than fully inspecting lines for hourly employees.
Without knowing the exact language in your foreign material program, I would think it would be acceptable to put your compiled information into a risk assessment, then calculate frequency of inspection based upon risk.
Based on your history, see the last time a belt was replaced/broken. Add up the time it took for it to break, and replace them 3/4 of that time, or before it breaks. I noticed you have a high frequency amount of inspections, I bet this was because the upper reign of managers wanted to absolutely ensure that the belts didn't break, so instead of investigating the inspections on making them more efficient/proactive through training or oversight, they just added more inspection intervals. In my opinion that's not the right way to do it, and pretty lazy. A good ol'fashioned inspection overhaul might work after a good risk assessment.
Maybe there are ways to modify the equipment for easier inspections?
Maybe you can add a sensor which detects wear/breaks?
Maybe you are not using the proper material for your belts? (chemical resistance, wear resistance, work load, etc)
I get the feeling these inspections were mismanaged, a huge expectation/workload was given to the previous workers without a thorough and realistic point of view. Keep it stupid, it's easier to understand that way ;)
I think you're on the right track
Is sanitation also inspecting them during their activities?
A. Put the belts on your internal audit schedule with the ones likely culprits audited more often and the others stretched out for inspections over days, weeks or months. And B. I do like the point that Scampi brings up about how does Sanitation play into this.
I forgot to mention, make sure to inspect bearings/pulleys about once a year. Bad bearings and pulleys can put more strain on the belts. A good Preventative Maintenance practice is to do it at least once a year, by removing them, cleaning/inspecting them, adding fresh grease, and putting it back in.
Instead of inspecting all of them all day, focus on certain areas by giving them numbers. Area 1 gets inspected on Mondays, area 2 on Tuesdays, etc. Perhaps your staff is spread out too thin.