Preventing Tunnel Vision: A Proactive Approach to Plant Safety and Reliability

I recently drove a plant site with an engineer when I spotted an anomaly: a cable tray hung loosely and had detached from its mounting.

He initially missed it, but a quick second pass confirmed the tray was broken loose. This incident reminded me how easily tunnel vision can blind us to critical issues.

In busy facilities, people often focus straight ahead or look down, overlooking ceilings, pipe supports, and side walls. Yet those overlooked areas can harbor failures that jeopardize equipment reliability.

When you first arrive at a site, treat it as new territory. Scan the entire environment—ceilings, supports, and obstructions. Look for anything out of place, missing covers, lights out, water on the floor, or chains rubbing against guards.

Proactive inspections detect failures in their early stages, allowing you to intervene before costly downtime occurs. 5‑S provides a systematic way to spot misplaced items, but it must be coupled with a vigilant eye for subtle clues such as fluid leaks or worn components.

My mentor taught me the value of walking the floor, inside and out, to spot and fix small problems before they evolve into major hazards. Simple fixes—repairing a loose tray, replacing a missing conduit cover, or clearing a puddle—prevent future incidents and reduce maintenance costs.

When was the last time you walked the floor with your team looking for the smallest improvements? Turn the walk into a friendly competition: tally the “little things” found, fix them, then repeat the exercise in two weeks. Over time, this routine builds a culture of continuous improvement and reinforces that even minor issues matter.

What techniques do you use to drive continuous improvement across your operations?

About the author:
Jeff Shiver is Managing Principal at People and Processes, where he guides organizations in implementing maintenance and operations best practices. With 25 years of experience at companies such as Procter & Gamble, IBM, and Mars North America, he brings deep expertise in maintenance, reliability, project engineering, IT, and corporate operations. jshiver@peopleandprocesses.com