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Rohit Kaul, Operations Head – North Region, Embassy Services takes us through the process from problem identification to impact of solutions.
The facility
- Name: Indiabulls Mega Mall, Jodhpur, Rajasthan
- Type of building: Mall with retail and commercial space
- Total area: 1 million sq ft
- Parts of the facility: 5 blocks, 7 floors, 263 office space units, 653 shops, 1,019 parking slots, lobby, escalators, restrooms, cafeteria, external landscape, high ceiling, etc.
- Services: Housekeeping, technical services, security, landscaping & horticulture, pest control, façade cleaning, waste management, parking management.
Housekeeping requirements
Areas: Mall upkeep, basement cleaning, material store, lift lobby, reception area, mall management office, utility area, parking area
Services: Consumables procurement, mechanised cleaning, sanitisation, deep cleaning, cleaning high-ceilings, escalator cleaning, cleaning light fixtures, washroom cleaning, cafeteria/food court cleaning, etc.
Problem statement: Frequent breakdown of escalators due to ineffective cleaning process
Impact of problem: Created dissatisfactions and inconvenience for the customers. A broken-down escalator can also create a negative perception of the mall’s services.
Root cause analysis
- There was no possibility of overload causing the escalators to trip
- Escalator preventive maintenance was completed on time and in accordance with the OEM schedule
- The escalator speed suddenly decreases due to dust
- Stain marks were noticed because of inadequate manual cleaning
- The escalator motor pit’s dust particles were visible
- Every time there is a breakdown, the sensors need to be cleaned
- According to the breakdown history, weekends were the days when breakdowns were most prevalent.
- Upon examining the cleaning schedule of the escalator, it was discovered that weekend breakdowns continued to occur even with daily cleaning frequency.
Mitigation plan
- Controlling the tiny dust particles at the footstep level.
- Because manual cleaning proved ineffective, a machine cleaning procedure was to be explored.
The correct machine needed to be identified, especially for trapping and removing minute dust particles.
Corrective actions
- The escalator cleaning machine was purchased to clean escalators.
- The vacuum cleaner for escalators has a wet and dry mode vacuum wand attachment.
- One escalator had a daily cleaning frequency at first with the machine, one at a time. After closely observing the cleaning and analysing the results, it was found that the tripping of escalators and slowing down of machinery had been reduced.
- Later, the frequency of escalator machine-cleaning was changed to once per week for all eight escalators, particularly before the weekend.
Impact analysis
- Escalator downtime has decreased.
- Decrease in the escalator’s operating expenses
- People’s confidence in using escalators has increased
- As a result of machine cleaning, the sensor and spare part ageing on escalators improved.
- Escalators were made more hygienic for users.
- Presenting a spotless and orderly escalator to consumers as a best practice
- Had a positive impact on business and attracted footfall.
