Analysis & Briefings
Technical briefings and research across asset care, occupational health and safety compliance and energy transition — written for engineers and operations managers. Updated as legislation, standards and operational conditions change.
Unplanned downtime — the engineering and financial case for Reliability Centred Maintenance (RCM)
The cost difference between reactive and planned maintenance for the same job is 3 to 5 times. Most operations know this. Few have quantified it for their own asset base.
What a Criticality Index actually looks like and how to build one
A Criticality Index is an engineering document that changes maintenance priorities, spare parts holding and Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) decisions across an entire operation.
Equipment registers — why most are wrong and what it costs
An equipment register that does not reflect actual assets on the ground is not a compliance document. It is a liability. Most operations have not audited theirs in years.
What does a condition monitoring plan actually look like?
Parameter, frequency, method, action limit, responsible person. A condition monitoring plan has five components. Most operations have one or two of them documented.
Reliability Centred Maintenance (RCM) — maintenance cost reduction without reliability reduction
Reducing maintenance costs by deferring tasks is not Reliability Centred Maintenance (RCM). Reliability Centred Maintenance (RCM) reduces cost by eliminating tasks that do not address a real failure mode.
Strategic Asset Management Plan (SAMP) and ISO 55001 — what it is and whether your operation needs one
ISO 55001 Asset Management certification is not for every operation. This briefing sets out what it requires, what it delivers and how to determine whether it is worth pursuing.
The true cost of deferred maintenance
Deferred maintenance does not disappear. It accumulates — as accelerated deterioration, increased failure probability and eventual emergency spend.
What happens to operations when key engineering staff leave
Operating parameters, fault history and workarounds held by experienced staff represent significant institutional value. When those staff leave, that value leaves with them.
Criticality indexes — application and value in South African heavy industry
How criticality ranking changes maintenance strategy, spare parts holding, shutdown planning and Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) justification.
Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and lifecycle analysis — the numbers most operations never see
Purchase price is one input. Energy consumption, maintenance cost, downtime risk and disposal cost over fifteen years is the number that should drive the decision.
Legal appointments under the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act — what goes wrong and why
Appointments made once and never reviewed. Appointed persons who do not know what they have accepted. Roles that changed without the appointment being updated.
Pre-inspection preparation — what Department of Employment and Labour (DOEL) inspectors look for
An inspector does not announce a visit in advance. This briefing sets out what they examine, what triggers a prohibition notice and how to ensure the operation is ready.
Boiler and pressure vessel compliance in South Africa
Certificate of fitness requirements, inspection intervals, documentation obligations and what the Pressure Equipment Regulations require of every appointed person.
Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act Risk Assessments — methodology, documentation and legal requirements
A risk assessment that cannot withstand scrutiny under cross-examination provides no legal protection. This briefing covers what a defensible risk assessment requires.
The political economy of South Africa's energy transition
Why the transition moves slowly despite exceptional renewable resources and a clear policy mandate. The structural, institutional and commercial factors that shape what actually happens on the ground.
What your critical assets are actually costing you
Purchase price is one number. Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) over ten to fifteen years is another. Most operations never see the second number.
Loadshedding — the real cost to South African operations
Diesel, lost production, equipment damage, overtime and cold chain losses. Few finance leads have seen a rigorous engineering model of what loadshedding actually costs per stage.
End-of-life decisions for solar and energy equipment
First-generation solar installations are approaching end of useful life. The decommission, repurpose or replace decision has engineering, financial and regulatory dimensions.
Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions reporting — what South African operations are required to do
The National Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emission Reporting Regulations have been in effect since 2017. Many operations are still not compliant. This briefing sets out who must report and how.
Just Transition for operations — what it actually means at plant level
National policy commits South Africa to a Just Transition. This briefing translates that commitment into operational terms — what it requires of plant managers and engineers now.
Train the team
Better outcomes start with better engineering practice.