Stationary Engineer’s Career is Fueled by Her Curiosity
Kathy Luhta, blazing the trail as the first female stationary engineer to work at Cleveland Clinic’s Main Campus, celebrated her first-year anniversary in October. From an early age, when her parents ran a small airport, she always liked mechanical things. “I was helping my dad work on airplanes, tractors, the furnace and any equipment that we had,” she says. After dedicating her time to helping her parents, Kathy was ready for more adventure. “Ships seemed very different, so I thought I’d try that.”
Venturing Out to Sea
She headed for Great Lake Maritime Academy in Michigan, graduating and receiving training as a marine engineer. She soon received her Marine Engineer’s license and spent the next seven years working on the Great Lakes ships, sailing on both steam- and diesel-powered ships for the Interlake Steamship Company. “I worked on many different types of equipment from boilers to diesel engines and all of the supporting systems. I helped with the overhaul of the 8,000 horsepower main engines aboard the MV Mesabi Miner.” While she wouldn’t change that experience for the world, Kathy says, “I just got tired of working on a ship.”
Making Her Way Back
So, Kathy chose to trade her time at sea for a future back on shore and pursued a degree in Land Surveying. Unfortunately, her time at the company was brief, as it closed its doors during the housing market crash. With survey jobs becoming scarce, Kathy knew that once again it was time for a change. “I realized I could use my steam background that I had from working on the ships as a stationary engineer at Lubrizol Corporation in Painesville, Ohio,” she says.
“At Lubrizol, I was mainly stationed in the boiler room,” Kathy says. While it was a great experience, I was looking for something with a bit more variety.” A co-worker at Lubrizol told her about the stationery engineer position and Cleveland, and she interviewed and got the job. “Here, I get to walk around the whole hospital. There’s a lot more involved.”
Keeping Patients Safe and Boilers Running
Working closely with HVAC, Kathy and her team check and service the boilers in the hospital (there are around 44 right now, but more continue to go in as Cleveland Clinic expands) and all the steam-related equipment. “We do routes around the hospital checking boilers and equipment, making repairs and answering service calls. We check the boilers for normal operation, and we blow them down. That means we open a valve and let some water and any impurities out,” she says. “Basically, we just check that everything’s operating correctly.”
“It’s critical to the hospital that the boilers are working properly, Kathy continues. “They provide the right temperature and humidity in the operating room, as well as steam for sterilization.”
Communication is Key
With a campus that encompasses 51 buildings and spans approximately 12.6 million square feet, there are bound to be a few glitches now and then. This is where her expertise and the department’s teamwork come into play.
“I was making my rounds and found a boiler tripped down due to low water. (Low water means that the boiler’s safety system has automatically shut it down because the water level in the boiler has fallen below a safe limit.) I had a pretty good idea why and I needed a part. So, I texted my co-worker that’s on the shift with me. He showed up with the part and we got it right back online. If I need help, I’ll get ahold of him and vice versa. We make a great team.”
Covering the Campus
One of her favorite parts of working for Cleveland is enjoying the sprawling grounds with many facilities and buildings. I get to wander around the entire main campus and see and work on different things. I get to work with other departments, and I continue to learn. I’m not just sitting in a boiler room – I’m out working with HVAC or plumbers and electricians.”
A Welcoming Workplace
Since she joined the team a year ago, Cleveland Clinic has welcomed another female stationery engineer, this time in HVAC. “I’ve always been in a male-dominated field where I’m the only woman or one of a few. It’s normal for me. But you usually do have to prove yourself. My time aboard the ship and working at Lubrizol has given me the knowledge and experience to help keep the hospital’s many systems operating effectively.”
The Complete Package
Kathy’s advice to someone considering joining Cleveland Clinic? “I think it’s a great place to work. It’s very welcoming and friendly and there’s a lot of opportunity here, not to mention great pay and benefits like generous PTO.”
Kathy Luhta, blazing the trail as the first female stationary engineer to work at Cleveland Clinic’s Main Campus, celebrated her first-year anniversary in October. From an early age, when her parents ran a small airport, she always liked mechanical things. “I was helping my dad work on airplanes, tractors, the furnace and any equipment that we had,” she says. After dedicating her time to helping her parents, Kathy was ready for more adventure. “Ships seemed very different, so I thought I’d try that.”
Venturing Out to Sea
She headed for Great Lake Maritime Academy in Michigan, graduating and receiving training as a marine engineer. She soon received her Marine Engineer’s license and spent the next seven years working on the Great Lakes ships, sailing on both steam- and diesel-powered ships for the Interlake Steamship Company. “I worked on many different types of equipment from boilers to diesel engines and all of the supporting systems. I helped with the overhaul of the 8,000 horsepower main engines aboard the MV Mesabi Miner.” While she wouldn’t change that experience for the world, Kathy says, “I just got tired of working on a ship.”
Making Her Way Back
So, Kathy chose to trade her time at sea for a future back on shore and pursued a degree in Land Surveying. Unfortunately, her time at the company was brief, as it closed its doors during the housing market crash. With survey jobs becoming scarce, Kathy knew that once again it was time for a change. “I realized I could use my steam background that I had from working on the ships as a stationary engineer at Lubrizol Corporation in Painesville, Ohio,” she says.
“At Lubrizol, I was mainly stationed in the boiler room,” Kathy says. While it was a great experience, I was looking for something with a bit more variety.” A co-worker at Lubrizol told her about the stationery engineer position and Cleveland, and she interviewed and got the job. “Here, I get to walk around the whole hospital. There’s a lot more involved.”
Keeping Patients Safe and Boilers Running
Working closely with HVAC, Kathy and her team check and service the boilers in the hospital (there are around 44 right now, but more continue to go in as Cleveland Clinic expands) and all the steam-related equipment. “We do routes around the hospital checking boilers and equipment, making repairs and answering service calls. We check the boilers for normal operation, and we blow them down. That means we open a valve and let some water and any impurities out,” she says. “Basically, we just check that everything’s operating correctly.”
“It’s critical to the hospital that the boilers are working properly, Kathy continues. “They provide the right temperature and humidity in the operating room, as well as steam for sterilization.”
Communication is Key
With a campus that encompasses 51 buildings and spans approximately 12.6 million square feet, there are bound to be a few glitches now and then. This is where her expertise and the department’s teamwork come into play.
“I was making my rounds and found a boiler tripped down due to low water. (Low water means that the boiler’s safety system has automatically shut it down because the water level in the boiler has fallen below a safe limit.) I had a pretty good idea why and I needed a part. So, I texted my co-worker that’s on the shift with me. He showed up with the part and we got it right back online. If I need help, I’ll get ahold of him and vice versa. We make a great team.”
Covering the Campus
One of her favorite parts of working for Cleveland is enjoying the sprawling grounds with many facilities and buildings. I get to wander around the entire main campus and see and work on different things. I get to work with other departments, and I continue to learn. I’m not just sitting in a boiler room – I’m out working with HVAC or plumbers and electricians.”
A Welcoming Workplace
Since she joined the team a year ago, Cleveland Clinic has welcomed another female stationery engineer, this time in HVAC. “I’ve always been in a male-dominated field where I’m the only woman or one of a few. It’s normal for me. But you usually do have to prove yourself. My time aboard the ship and working at Lubrizol has given me the knowledge and experience to help keep the hospital’s many systems operating effectively.”
The Complete Package
Kathy’s advice to someone considering joining Cleveland Clinic? “I think it’s a great place to work. It’s very welcoming and friendly and there’s a lot of opportunity here, not to mention great pay and benefits like generous PTO.”
