Inspection and maintenance are vital to suc-cessful casualty control; they minimize casualties caused by material failures. Through continuous and detailed inspection procedures, you can discover damaged parts, which may fail at a critical time, and eliminate underlying conditions, which will lead to early failure of parts. Underlying conditions will generally include maladjustment, improper lubrication, corrosion, erosion, and other causes of machinery damage.

You must pay particular and continuous attention to the following symptoms of malfunctioning equipment:

1. Unusual noises

2. Vibrations

3. Abnormal temperatures

4. Abnormal pressures

5. Abnormal operating speeds

You must thoroughly familiarize yourself with the specific temperatures, pressures, and operating speeds of equipment required for normal operation so that you will detect any departure from normal operation.

If a gauge or other instrument for recording operating conditions of machinery gives an abnormal reading, you must fully investigate the cause. The installation of a spare instrument or a calibration test will quickly indicate whether the abnormal reading is from instrument error. You must trace any other cause to its source.

Because of the safety factor commonly incorporated in pumps and similar equipment, considerable loss of capacity can occur before any external symptoms are apparent. You should be suspicious of any changes in the operating speeds (those normal for the existing load) of pressure-governor-controlled equipment. Variations from normal pressures, lubricating oil temperatures, and system pressures often indicate either improper operation or poor condition of machinery.

When a material failure occurs in any unit, promptly inspect all similar units to determine whether there is any danger that a similar failure might occur. Prompt inspection may eliminate a wave of repeated casualties.

Pay strict attention to the proper lubrication of all equipment, including frequent inspection and sampling to determine that the correct quantity of the proper lubricant is in the unit. It is good practice to make a daily check of samples of lubricating oil in all auxiliaries. Allow samples to stand long enough for any water to settle. When auxiliaries have been idle for several hours (particularly overnight), you should drain a sufficient sample from the lowest part of the oil sump to remove all settled water. Replenish with fresh oil to the normal level.