Entries by Mike.Lake

Overhead Loads

A young construction worker was killed the same day his wife was coming home from the hospital with their first child. How did this occur? A crane was transporting a heavy, bulky section six or seven feet in the air to clear other objects. The load was guided by tag lines which were used by all […]

Correct Gap Critical to Rotation Speed

Maintaining the correct gap between the sensor and the rotor is critical to correctly measuring turbine rotor speed. Setting the gap can be problematic if the correct gap is unknown or if it cannot be accessed with a feeler gauge. First a little background on why the sensor gap is critical: The sensor, or “pickup”, […]

Heat Stress

 It’s that time of year again – summertime – hot and unbearable weather. This year is starting off in pretty much the same pattern as years gone by. All over the U.S we are seeing extremely high heat temperatures, especially in the western portion where temperatures are reaching an average of 112° to 128° degrees. […]

Common Sense Safety

Contrary to popular opinion, all workers can prevent themselves from getting hurt. The easy way to avoid pain is to observe how others have taken risks and been injured, rather than learning the hard way–from your own injury. That’s common sense! By avoiding unsafe acts and practicing common sense, your work will go smoother, with […]

Copper Resistance Testing

General. The typical generator stator winding consists of three independent circuits or phases. These circuits must be as symmetrical as possible with one another to achieve maximum generator efficiency. This symmetry includes the cross section of each conductor as well as the length or distance from main lead to neutral lead. The Copper Resistance (or […]

Slips, Trips, and Falls

Falls are one of the leading causes of unintentional injuries in the United States, accounting for nearly 8.6 million visits to the emergency room. Adults 55 and older are more prone to being victims of falls, and the resulting injuries can diminish the ability to lead active, independent lives. The number of fall deaths among […]

Casing Repair – Part 3: Distortion & Erosion

The final Turbine Generator Tip in this series discusses two common steam turbine casing problems – Distortion and Erosion. The repair methods employed – grinding, mechanical repair, welding and stress relief – have their own set of considerations which were covered in previous portions of the series. Casing Distortion Casing Distortion becomes a strong likelihood […]

Casing Repair – Part 2: Welding Considerations

Welding is a common method to repair turbine casing cracks, but it must be applied with consideration. Most turbine casing alloys can be welded using either of two distinct procedures: stress relieved and non-stress relieved. The procedure selected is often dictated by time and cost restraints. Non-stress relieved welds have the advantage of lower cost […]

Knife Safety

Statistics indicate that knives cause more disabling injuries than any other hand tool. People in all occupations are injured by knives – a stock boy in a supermarket produce department or a mechanic opening a box or cutting rubber. We are all exposed to knife injuries only because a knife is a very handy and […]

Forklift Safety

According to OSHA, forklift overturns are the leading cause of fatalities related to the use of forklifts and result in 25% of all forklift deaths. Other incidents that are associated with using forklifts include falling from a forklift, loads falling on workers, not using a seat-belt and being ejected or not following the proper procedures […]