6 Семестр
Unit 11
Technical assistance
Text 11.1
Read and translate the text.
Any machine and device must be controlled regularly in order to avoid the risk of damage or breakdown of single parts due to long usage. Sometimes, if a proper maintenance is not done, a fault could occur, with negative consequences on the production process and on the workers’ safety. The primary goal of maintenance is to avoid or mitigate the consequences of failure of equipment. This includes performing routine actions to keep the device in working order and prevent the failure before it actually occurs (preventive maintenance), or fixing equipment after breakdown (corrective maintenance).
Preventive maintenance is designed to preserve and restore equipment reliability by replacing worn components before they actually fail. It includes maintenance activities such as partial or complete overhauls at specified periods, oil changes and lubrication. The ideal preventive maintenance is a combination of technical, administrative and managerial actions to prevent all equipment failure. If carried out properly, preventive maintenance can extend the life of the equipment.
Corrective maintenance, sometimes simply called ‘repair’, is carried out to get equipment working again. It aims at restoring the functionality of a machine so that it can continue to perform its work. This type of maintenance can be very expensive because sometimes equipment needs to be replaced, with substantial costs for the company.
Generally, maintenance is scheduled according to:
■ the original equipment manufacturer’s recommendations;
■ codes and legislation within a country;
■ consultancy advice;
■ previous maintenance;
■ most important measured values and performance indications.
Answer the questions
Why is maintenance important?
What are the main types of maintenance?
What is the function of preventive maintenance?
Which activities does it include?
What is maintenance called if it occurs after a failure?
Why can corrective maintenance be expensive?
Read the text again and match the words with their definitions.
1 fault |
a |
damaged and in poor condition as a result of much use |
2 to mitigate |
b |
a set of rules about how something must be done |
3 to fix |
с |
expert advice within a particular field |
4 overhaul |
d |
applying a greasy substance to reduce friction |
5 worn |
e |
a break or other defect in a piece of machinery |
6 lubrication |
f |
to do the necessary work to repair something that doesn’t work properly |
7 code |
g |
to make something less severe or unpleasant |
8 consultancy |
h |
a careful examination of a machinery or system that must be repaired |
Auto maintenance
How well do you know the components of a car? Translate the words.
Seat, battery, radiator, tyre, spare wheel, steering wheel, disk brake, oil filter, trunk, windshield wiper
Take this quiz about car maintenance.
Auto maintenance doesn’t entail replacing fluids.
True / False
It is not possible to do preventive maintenance to cars.
True / False
Car maintenance must be scheduled keeping in mind different factors.
True / False
The distance travelled every day doesn’t affect the functionality of a car.
True / False
If a car is exposed to extreme weather conditions it must be checked more often.
True / False
It is not possible to replace windshield wipers.
True / False
Brake fluid lasts forever.
True / False
8 Car maintenance tasks should never be combined in one single service.
True / False
Text 11.2
Read and translate the text.
Auto maintenance describes the act of inspecting or testing the condition of car subsystems (e.g.: engine, brakes, radiator, etc.) and replacing parts and fluids. Thanks to regular maintenance it is possible to ensure the safety, reliability and comfort of a car, while during preventive maintenance, a number of parts are replaced to avoid major damage or for safety reasons.
Car maintenance is usually scheduled according to different factors, such as the year or model of the car, its driving condition and driver behaviour. When scheduling auto maintenance, car manufacturers recommend keeping in mind some factors that may affect the functionality of car subsystems. Some of these factors are: the number of trips and the distance travelled every day; the exposure to particular climate conditions (extreme hot or cold); long-distance cruising and whether the car has to tow a trailer or other heavy loads.
Common car maintenance tasks include:
■ car wash
■ check or replace the engine oil and oil filters
■ inspect or replace windshield wipers
■ inspect tyre pressure and wear
■ check wheel alignment
■ check, clean or replace battery terminals
■ inspect or replace brake pads and fluids
■ inspect or replace air filter
■ lubricate locks and hinges
■ check all lights
■ inspect or replace spark plugs
■ tighten chassis bolts
Some tasks that have equivalent service intervals can be combined into one single service known as a tune-up. In modern cars, where electronics control most of the car’s functions, the traditional tune-up has been replaced by incorporated software that takes care of the engine by constantly checking thousands of sensor signals. Completed maintenance services are then recorded in a service book which is very useful for keeping track of the car service history.
Text 11.3
Read and translate the text.
Mechanic Good afternoon, Mrs Farrell.
Mrs Farrell Good afternoon, John. How are you?
Mechanic I’m fine, thank you. How can I help you?
Mrs Farrell Well, I need a complete tune up for my car. Next week my husband and I are going on holiday by car. It’s going to be a long journey all the way to Spain and I want my car to be in good condition.
Mechanic Sure. No problem. Have you checked your car recently?
Mrs Farrell Let me think... It must have been last year, in June, when the car wouldn’t start. Anyway, it should all be written in the service book. It’s in the glove compartment.
Mechanic OK, I’ll take it. Let's see... Oh, yes, it was the battery and I changed it. Are there any problems at the moment?
Mrs Farrell Not really, but I think the engine oil needs to be replaced.
Mechanic Sure. I’ll check the filters too.
Mrs Farrell Yes, I think it’s a good idea. Could you inspect the tyres as well? And maybe wash it; it’s so dirty. Well, John, when do you think the car will be ready?
Mechanic Actually, I’m quite busy at the moment, Mrs Farrell, so I could give it back to you next Friday. Would that be convenient for you?
Mrs Farrell Yes, it’d be perfect, because we’re leaving on Sunday. I’ll call you on Tuesday for a confirmation then.
Mechanic All right. Goodbye, Mrs Farrell.
On Friday...
Mechanic Good morning, Mrs Farrell. Here are your keys.
I replaced the engine oil and the filters. Then Ichecked the tyres and the brakes too. I had to replace the spark plugs because they were fouled. I also tested the electronics and then I washed the car. Now everything is OK, you can set off with no worries.
Mrs Farrell That’s great! Thank you very much, John.
Answer the questions.
What does Mrs Farrell want?
Why does she need a complete tune-up?
What is written in the service book?
What does the car need to be done?
When will the car be ready?
What did John replace in the car?
Unit 12
Health and safety at work
Text 12.1
Read and translate the text.
Attention must be paid to safety in order to ensure a safe working practice in factories. Workers must be aware of the dangers and risks that exist all around them: two out of every three industrial accidents are caused by individual carelessness. In order to avoid or reduce accidents, both protective and precautionary measures must be followed while working.
Each country has specific regulations concerning health and safety at work. For example, The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 is a UK Act of Parliament that establishes the fundamental rules to enforce workplace health, safety and welfare within the United Kingdom.
The objectives of the Act are:
■ to secure the health, safety and welfare of people at work;
■ to protect people in the work place against risks to health or safety in connection to their work activities;
■ to control the keeping and use of dangerous substances;
■ to control the emission of dangerous gases into the atmosphere.
The Act defines general duties of employers, employees, suppliers of goods and substances for use at work, and people who manage and maintain work premises. In particular, every employer has to ensure the health, safety and welfare at work of all the employees, visitors, the general public and clients. Employers have to ensure the absence of risk to health in connection with the use, handling or storage of items and substances, as well as provide adequate facilities for a safe working environment. It is also very important to provide employees with proper instructions and training so that they will be able to cope with any problem that may occur at work.
Employees, on their part, should always behave responsibly at work and take care of themselves and other people who may be affected by their actions. Moreover, they should cooperate with employers to enable them to perform their duties or requirements under the Act.
Answer the questions.
Perform their duties or requirements under the Act.
1 Why is it important to ensure a safe working environment?
2 Which law regulates workers’ welfare in the United Kingdom?
3 What does the Act define?
4 What are the duties of employers?
5 Why is it important to provide employees with adequate training?
6 How can employees contribute to a safe working environment?
Read the text again and match the words with their definitions.
1 precautionary measure |
a |
a responsibility or task that you have to do as part of your job |
2 carelessness |
b |
to deal effectively with a difficult situation |
3 welfare |
с |
the buildings and land occupied by a business |
4 duty |
d |
poor attention to an activity, which results in harm or errors |
5 premises |
e |
action taken in order to prevent something dangerous from happening |
6 to cope with |
f |
the health, comfort and well-being of a person or group |
Text 12.2
Read and translate the text.
Safety Rules
Machinery
• Be sure to understand how to operate every machine you are going to use.
• Never use machinery when you are in a room alone.
• Use all the protection required in the place of work.
• Check that the safety devices are working. If they are not working, ask for them to be repaired immediately.
• Do not talk to anybody who is operating a machine. Concentration is important at all times.
• Turn off the electricity before cleaning a machine.
Tools
• Report any damage to the tools used at work.
• See that tools are correctly set.
Dress
• Before starting work, wear protective clothing.
• Always wear safety glasses, gloves and boots when using a machine.
Workshop
• Keep the workshop tidy, do not leave rubbish around and do not throw cigarette ends or ashes into the rubbish bin.
• The area around machines must be kept clear to avoid falling.
• Tools and protective clothing should be put away when not in use.
• Clean machines after use with a brush not with your hands.
Accident procedures
• Make sure you know where to assemble in the event of fire and where the emergency stop buttons are located.
• Check where the fire extinguishers are in your workplace and how they work, in order to be able to use them in case of fire.
• Do not shout or run as this can lead to panic, and inform the supervisor immediately if any accident occurs.
Never administer first aid unless you have been trained to do so
Read the text again and decide if the following rules are true (T) or false (F), then correct the false ones.
1 Use machinery only when other people are in the workplace.
2 People mustn’t talk in the workplace.
3 Turn off electricity after a machine has been cleaned.
4 Wear safety boots before arriving in a workplace.
5 Always wear sunglasses when using a machine.
6 Damaged tools can be dangerous.
7 Report to the supervisor about damaged equipment.
8 In case of fire ask the supervisor where the emergency stop buttons are located.
9 In case of fire shout to catch other people’s attention.
10 Anyone can give first aid in case of an accident.
Text 12.3
Read and translate the text.
Safety signs and colours are useful tools to help protect the health and safety of employees and workplace visitors. Safety signs are used to draw attention to health and safety hazards, to point out hazards which may not be obvious and to remind employees where personal protective equipment must be worn.
Colour attracts attention and can be used extensively for safety purposes. For example, colour can be used as an additional safety measure to identify the contents of pipes and the nature of the hazard.
Different combinations of colours are used to indicate the various types of hazards. For example, the colour red is used to indicate a definite hazard, while a potential hazard is communicated by the colour yellow. When employees are aware of the hazards around them and take the necessary precautions, the possibility of an injury, illness or other loss is minimised.
There are three basic sign categories used in the workplace:
• warning, to indicate definite or potential hazards;
• regulatory, to indicate which actions are prohibited or mandatory;
• information, to provide general information and directions.
Each category is distinguished by its shape and can be divided into subcategories having different colours.
Text 12.4
Read and translate the text.
Safety glasses are the most important piece of safety equipment. There are many styles of these, but all share the same features, that is to say impact resistant lenses and side screens to protect against dust.
Hearing protection should be worn when working with loud power tools and machinery, in order to protect you from long-term hearing loss.
Hard hats are predominantly used in workplace environments such as building sites. They protect the head from injury by falling objects, impact with other objects, debris, bad weather and electric shock.
When working with chemicals or machinery which makes dust, it is advisable to wear a face mask, to keep these fine particles away from the face. When spraying varnish or paint, a respirator is a better choice, to protect you from any harmful effects of using these chemicals.
A face shield using machinery which gives off sparks or little parts. It is comfortable, can be flipped up when not needed, and will keep most of the flying chips away from your face.
When working, you should always wear proper clothing, like an overall. Comfortable, long-sleeved shirts and long trousers combined with good safety boots will each provide a layer of protection.
Text 12.5
Read and translate the text.
Dialoge 1
George Hey, Frank, watch out. Stop handling those chemicals. You should put them down.
Frank Why?
George Don’t you know you must put on your safety glasses? Those chemicals are strong. They can splash into your eyes.
Frank Thanks, George. I’ll go and get them.
Dialoge 2
Mr Bates Good morning, Mrs Ellis. Nice to see you here on the site.
Mrs Ellis Good morning, Mr Bates. I’m very interested in your building site. If you don’t mind, I’d like to have a look around.
Mr Bates Sure, no problem, but we require all our visitors to wear a hard hat on the site... you know, it will protect you from falling objects.
Mrs Ellis That’s right. Can I have one then?
Dialoge 3
Robert Hi, Mark. Can I have a word with you?
Mark Sure, Robert. What’s the matter?
Robert Well, I noticed you weren’t using your face shield yesterday... You know, you shouldn’t forget to wear it; it’ll protect you from the sparks.
Mark You’re right, Rob... It was very irresponsible of me. It won’t happen again. Thanks.
Dialoge 4
Alison Hey Tom, why aren’t you wearing your respirator?
Tom Well, actually I don’t think I need one.
Alison Are you kidding? You must always wear a respirator in the workshop. It’s the rule. Don’t you know these chemicals release toxic fumes?
Tom Well, I suppose you're right, Alison... OK, I’ll go and get it.
Complete the table with the equipment and the hazard mentioned.
Dialogue |
Equipment |
Hazard |
1 |
|
|
2 |
|
|
3 |
|
|
4
|
|
|
Text 12.6
Read and translate the text.
A fire safety plan is required in all public buildings, from schools, hospitals, supermarkets to workplaces. Generally, the owner of the building is responsible for the preparation of a fire safety plan. Once the plan has been approved by the Chief Fire Official, the owner is responsible for training all staff in their duties.
Evacuation drills are a very important part of the staff training associated with emergency evacuation procedures. Drills should be carried out in all buildings at least once a year. The drill should be checked, recording the time required to complete the evacuation, and noting any problems and deficiencies. After each drill a meeting should be held to evaluate the success of the drill and to solve any problems that may have arisen.
What to do in case of fire...
■ If you see fire or smoke, do not panic. Remain calm and move quickly, but do not run.
■ Alert the responsible staff and telephone the correct national emergency number. Have someone meet the firefighters to tell them where the fire is. They can lose valuable minutes if they have to find it themselves.
■ Rescue any people in immediate danger only if it is safe to do so.
■ If practicable, close all doors and windows to contain the fire.
■ Try to extinguish the fire using appropriate firefighting equipment only if you are trained and it is safe to do so.
■ Follow the instructions of your supervisor and prepare to evacuate if necessary.
■ Save records if possible.
■ Evacuate your area and check all rooms, especially changing rooms, toilets, storage
■ Do a head count of all staff and report any people unaccounted for to the supervisor.
Put the actions in the correct order.
a Close all doors and windows.
b Do a head count of all staff and visitors.
с Evacuate your area and check all rooms.
d Meet the firefighters and give them details about the fire.
e Save records.
f Prepare to evacuate.
g Remain calm and move quickly.
h Report any people unaccounted for to the supervisor.
i Rescue any people in immediate danger.
j Telephone the correct national emergency number.
к Try to extinguish the fire using appropriate firefighting equipment.