Recognizing challenges is just half the battle. To meet the challenges, you need a centralized maintenance management system that reduces maintenance costs, decreases maintenance work cycle times, automates processes and streamlines operations to improve employee efficiency and productivity.
[box type=”shadow” ]Without 100% automation throughout a building, all the planning in the world will not stop careless employees from ignoring environment friendly practices, like turning off the lights when leaving a room.[/box]
Deliver high quality maintenance service to ensure safety and functional efficiency of the workplace
One way that facility managers solve this challenge is by following best practices in maintenance management. There are two main types of maintenance work:
- Routine/preventive maintenance is usually planned and includes defined set of services to be performed at a specific time to ensure the smooth operation of the asset. Regular maintenance is essential to keep premises, equipment, machines and the work environment safe and reliable. It helps to eliminate workplace hazards. Lack of maintenance or inadequate maintenance can lead to dangerous situations, accidents and health problems.
- Corrective maintenance is needed for carrying out unforeseen repairs on workplace facilities or equipment demanding reactive action to be taken to get things up and running again. This is usually more hazardous than scheduled maintenance. It is important that a planned maintenance schedule is in place and that all maintenance work is ‘risk assessed’ before beginning the task.
Maintenance work can in itself be hazardous. It can also make the workplace more susceptible while the work is being carried out. A risk assessment will be needed to identify suitable control measures to manage the maintenance work effectively. Employers must make sure that trained and experienced staff should be employed for maintenance who would add value to servicing rather than experiment on expensive equipment and cause unfair wear and tear. Some of the main challenges associated with maintenance work are:
Working at height (risk of falls or falling tools and equipment)- Gaining access to the equipment (confined spaces or harsh environments)
- Electrical hazards (shocks, burns if not isolated)
- Equipment (injuries from moving parts if not isolated)
- Exposure to…
- harmful chemicals (used in the machine being maintained)
- dust (again, through the machine being maintained)
- legionella (in water systems and air conditioners)
- noise (working on or using noisy equipment)
Effective housekeeping can eliminate some workplace hazards and help get a job done safely and properly. Poor housekeeping can frequently contribute to accidents by hiding hazards that cause injuries. Housekeeping is not just cleanliness, as it includes keeping work areas neat and orderly, maintaining halls and floors free of slip and trip hazards, and removing of waste materials (e.g., paper, cardboard) and other fire hazards from work areas. Good housekeeping is also a basic part of accident and fire prevention.
Labour and material availability plays a vital role in the success of both corrective and preventive maintenance. If any of the required labour or material is unavailable when needed, the operation of the facility is affected and in turn its operating cost. Proper tracking of labour and material inventory plays a significant role in the smooth operation and maintenance of a facility.
[box type=”shadow” ]Maintaining the assets such that they serve beyond their shelf life indirectly helps to better the ROI.[/box]
