If a chemical feeder shows excessive vibration, the first action should be to ___.

• A. Shut off the equipment
• B. Increase feed rate
• C. Check alignment
• D. Notify supervisor

Answer: (A)

When a chemical feeder vibrates excessively, the immediate concern is a potential mechanical fault or unsafe condition. The first action is to shut off the equipment to stop movement, isolate energy, and prevent further damage, injury, or a release while you assess the situation. This pause allows you to inspect for obvious problems like loose bolts, misalignment, worn bearings, or damaged couplings without the risk of the system continuing to operate under fault conditions. Increasing the feed rate would worsen the vibration and increase risk. Checking alignment or notifying a supervisor are important steps, but they should come after the system is safely shut down to ensure anyone inspecting or troubleshooting is not put in danger.