Polished Shoes, Sharp Minds, and Systemic Sense | Diary Entry - 31st May, 2025

This morning began with a simple, yet meaningful thought - not about machines or production, but about shoes. In the morning meeting, after the prayer, Mr. Yendabre spoke about the importance of taking care of safety shoes, urging everyone to keep them clean and polished. It might sound trivial, but in reality, it isn’t.

A man’s attitude towards his tools and his attire often reflects his attitude toward work. Ironically, almost everyone’s shoes were dusty and scuffed, except for Mensah, whose shoes gleamed like he was heading for an inspection. Mine were clean too - I had just cleaned them in the morning. I added a thought to the moment:

“Dirt is the enemy of leather - and neglect is the enemy of pride.”

It triggered some reflection in the room, and I could sense a shift. These little nudges matter - when you can't reach the minds directly, sometimes, you go through the boots.

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HOD Meeting - Applause and Application
The crusher team received a well-deserved round of applause in the HOD meeting for their cleaning job yesterday. I took the opportunity to explain the new cleaning technique we’d implemented - using limestone powder mixed with water on a cloth for cleaning large machines. It's inexpensive, readily available, and surprisingly effective. Not every solution needs to come from a supplier or manual - many come from simply trying.

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DPM - On Interlocks and Intelligent Safety
The Daily Plant Meeting took a more technical and serious turn. We did a ground-up review of all interlocks. I reminded everyone that interlocks are meant for safety, not bureaucracy. But safety is not just about switches and sensors - it’s also about intelligent logic and understanding of operations.

“An unnecessary interlock can shut down the entire pyro-system - and that’s not just inconvenient, it’s unsafe in itself.”

I gave an example that struck home:
At the Clinker Silo Top, there’s a bag filter that must start with the system. If it doesn’t start, the system should not be allowed to start either - that’s logical. But if it trips while the system is running, the plant shouldn’t halt instantly. There should be differentiated logic for startup vs. running conditions. This kind of thinking needs to be built into our DCS philosophy - or else we’ll keep chasing false alarms while ignoring real dangers.

One Coal Mill for Both Kilns - Smarter Energy Use
Another major point raised was operational:

“Let’s run both kilns with just one coal mill - at least while we are not running them at full capacity.”

It's not just a power-saving strategy. It’s also about minimizing unnecessary start-stop cycles, reducing wear and tear, and simplifying operations. One properly calibrated coal mill is more than enough in the current load scenario. Efficiency is not just about producing more - it’s also about wasting less.

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Naming the Saboteurs - Truth to Power
I took a bold step. I gave specific names to the PDG - the three individuals who’ve systematically hijacked the maintenance function.

Their approach has been corrosive:

• Blocking decisions,

• Creating confusion,

• Undermining genuine efforts.

Calling them out wasn't easy - but necessary. You can’t solve a systemic issue by ignoring its roots. Now, it’s in the open. Let’s see who chooses what side of the line.

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Weather Note
The day continued to be dry and hot, a typical late-May glare with no signs of clouds. A reminder of the long summer we’re walking through - both literally and metaphorically.

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Key Points of the Day - 31st May

• Morning meeting included a reminder on personal discipline: keeping safety shoes clean and polished.

• Mr. Mensah appreciated for his polished shoes; reinforced culture of self-care and pride in work.

• Crusher team applauded during HOD meeting for excellent cleaning work.

• Shared innovative method of cleaning large equipment using limestone powder and water.

• DPM focused on reviewing all interlocks from scratch - stressed intelligent, condition-based logic in interlock settings.

• Explained the need for differentiated interlock logic between startup and running conditions, with Clinker Silo bag filter as an example.

• Proposed and agreed to run both kilns with a single coal mill to save energy and reduce mechanical wear.

• Named and exposed three individuals to PDG who are obstructing maintenance operations.

• Hot and dry weather persisted throughout the day.

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Reflection:
Today felt like one of those days where leadership had many faces - from speaking about shoes to dissecting interlock logic, from technical decisions to confronting people issues. In between all this, there was progress, discomfort, and clarity - three ingredients that usually come together when you’re doing real work.

[Morning tea is my favorite. Today, after a long time, I made tea at home. I jokingly called it the world’s best tea 😜 - and surprisingly, it actually was, though by fluke!]

Next Day - 2nd June, 2025

Previous Day - 30th May, 2025