End-User Interview
Understanding the connection between reliability and safety
Reliability goes beyond the technical details of industrial assets ; it is a mindset . Enhancing equipment performance not only optimizes operations but also impacts human lives . The lack of reliability results in leaks , uncontrolled releases , and catastrophic equipment failures that could jeopardize the workplace . Tami Glasper , the Reliability Manager at Air Products and Chemicals , Inc . spoke to Heat Exchanger World and provided valuable insights into her role and the critical intersection of reliability and safety .
By Shopia Ketheeswararajah , Heat Exchanger World
As the Reliability Manager for La Porte , Pasadena , and Baytown , Texas , Tami Glasper focuses on supporting the region ’ s reliability for industrial gases , including air separation and hydrogen producing units . Tami describes how curiosity led to her passion : “ I have always been intrigued by the deeper understanding of how things work . This curiosity led me to pursue engineering . During my high school years , I participated in various engineering programs at universities like Drexel , Penn State , and Villanova . I earned my Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Drexel University , followed by a Master ’ s in Business Administration from the University of Houston .” Following her education , she began working for Rohm and Haas located in Bristol , Pennsylvania , which later became Dow Chemical . “ I began working on a start-up project in Texas , specifically , an acrylic acid unit , and discovered that I wanted to better understand what reliability meant to the industry . Reliability uses proven techniques to assess the probability that equipment and systems will perform functions over time and under certain conditions . The
concepts of reliability are measurable by using data and technical expertise to evaluate the risk of potential failures . Risk is the product of the consequence and the probability of a failure . Reliability involves performing techniques to reduce risks , such as Root Cause Analysis , Failure Mode Effects Analysis , and Reliability Centred Maintenance . As a result , reliability creates a safer workplace and harbours efficiency in operations .
Day-to-day operations Currently , Tami manages programs and implements investigations to address and mitigate equipment failures , such as heat exchangers . She said , “ Our team , consisting of operators and mechanical experts , handles everything from calculations to field inspections . Daily activities involve supporting the existing , aging facility , as well as performing reliability assessments for new equipment and units . A big part of my job is prioritizing design , installation , fabrication , and maintenance efforts to align with optimal performance and prevent downtime . My approach to reliability assessments can be summarized using a term , ‘ DARE to Be Reliable ’. I recently used this approach in troubleshooting the fouling of heat
“ The connection between reliability and safety is important to me . Unreliable processes can cause injury and loss to people , equipment , and systems .”
16 Heat Exchanger World September 2024 www . heat-exchanger-world . com