Maintenance issues

Managing planned maintenance activities is a dynamic process. In principle the stages of the process are constant; the inputs may vary resulting in adjustments. The flow diagram below illustrates an example of the process.

Figure 1: the planned maintenance process

From a technical point of view, the driver for planned maintenance works would be the maintenance plan supported by component condition information. A condition survey or inspections for a given period would confirm in broad terms that a campaign of maintenance works is required within a given period.

The next stage is to determine the extent of works. This is influenced by:

• organisation aims;
• finances and resources; and
• a detailed survey to enable specification of the works.

Organisational aims, finances and resources may require prioritisation of works or that the planned maintenance works are broadened to include improvements, e.g. to meet organisational energy targets. Timing of the works should be planned to minimise disruption to the core activities of the organisation. For example, schools traditionally carry out planned maintenance works during vacations.

Budget restrictions may restrict works to high priority maintenance activities only.

New works extending a building may present an opportunity to use scaffolding to carry out planned window decorations.

A detailed specification is drawn up to allow the work to be tendered or carried out by the in-house maintenance team for implementation.

Once the works are completed, feedback is essential to ensure that the targets and objectives of the planned maintenance programme have been met and to encourage a policy of improvement.

Invariably maintenance is carried out in occupied buildings. Managing maintenance with minimum disruption is a critical aspect of planned maintenance.