52 Year Old Has Heart Attack
Your reaction to that headline might depend on your age, health, and whether you know the victim. Thankfully, heart attacks among young people (yes, 52 is young!) are relatively uncommon. Yet, coronary heart disease remains the leading cause of death among Americans.
The risk factors for coronary heart disease are well documented. Today, most of us know our blood pressure, cholesterol, and other risk factors. However, that hasn’t always been the case. Many have moved from a state of blissful ignorance to making significant changes to reduce the risks associated with coronary heart disease.
From Unaware to Taking Action
Let’s think about the health of an industrial electrical system with an eye towards heart health. Those responsible for a plant’s electrical system may also be at various stages on a continuum that can span from unaware to taking action.
Similarities between heart health and plant electrical system health:
- There may be no warning signs of impending trouble.
- There may be no immediate impact to making changes.
- You may not feel better because you lowered your cholesterol numbers.
- The commitment to change pays off over time, not immediately.
- Risk is cumulative over time – the longer you are exposed to risk, the more likely you’ll experience the negative outcome.
- Increasing age leads to more issues.
- Issues are complicated by advancing age.
- New (or youthful) can more easily recover from stress or overloads – old, not so much.
- Human bodies and industrial systems have many interdependencies – poor performance in one system can impact another.
- The uncertainty of cause and effect can lead to delaying best practices.
- There is peace of mind in knowing you’ve taken appropriate steps.
As you think about the health of your industrial electrical system, remember this comparison. Being aware of risk factors and taking precautionary steps can help prevent major problems down the road.
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David Krahling, Interstates Vice President of Business Development
