When you manage a large facility, you can’t afford to have interruptions to your operations. That’s where a preventive maintenance (PM) plan can enter the picture as a game changer. Rather than dealing with a sudden equipment malfunction, you can pursue a more diligent approach to maintenance.
As a result, you’ll be able to keep costs down and prolong the life of your essential equipment. Continue reading to learn how to scope a preventative maintenance plan for new facilities.
List All Critical Assets in Your Facility
Begin your maintenance plan preparations by writing down all of your assets. These will include boilers, heat exchangers, air handlers, and other components of HVAC systems. Write down details, including the age, make, model, and serial numbers for these assets.
By creating a list, you’ll have a comprehensive overview of everything that needs regular attention in your warehouse or workspace. Organize equipment by category, too. That way, you can assign the same maintenance tasks to cover a few different pieces of equipment.
Determine How Critical Assets Are
Inevitably, some assets will be more critical to operations than others. Look over your inventory list of equipment, and determine which ones to prioritize. Some equipment may need to meet tight compliance regulations or be essential for comfort.
Consider what the fallout would look like if a particular part of a mechanical system stopped working. And would it be hard to find someone who is able to repair or replace the equipment quickly?
Especially if you live in a colder area, you may want to give top priority to heating equipment. Without it functioning well, you could see pipes freezing and create an unsafe and uncomfortable work environment.
Make sure you have a protocol in place in case something fails. If you’re in Denver, for instance, you’ll need someone skilled to tackle heating system issues right away. Look for quality boiler maintenance in Denver, CO, so you’re prepared.
Define the Maintenance Work
You’ll need to create a calendar that defines maintenance tasks and when they should happen. You’ll also need to plan around volatile winter weather conditions.
Plan to take care of your heating systems before the temperatures plummet. This means doing routine inspections and looking for leaks that could make equipment dangerous to use. Follow a checklist and make sure to address any concerns related to wear and tear.
In the spring and fall, plan on scheduling smaller-scale maintenance checks. You’ll be able to ensure that your equipment is humming when you need it most.
Figure Out Staffing Needs
Will you handle the maintenance checks with an existing team of in-house technicians? Or will you outsource the duties to other companies? Either option can work, but you’ll want to think about the nature of your equipment as you make a decision.
If you need simple seasonal maintenance checks, you can rely on an in-house team. But know that more specialized repairs related to controls, for instance, could require outside vendors with more precise knowledge.
Take stock of likely maintenance needs, and make sure you have dedicated people to cover the responsibilities. If you’re keeping things in-house, give newer maintenance staff the basic technical jobs. Let more senior members of your team work on more complicated repairs.
Build a Better Maintenance Plan
When you’re scoping a preventive maintenance plan, start with what you already know. Create a list with details about all equipment that will need servicing. Then create a calendar with seasonal maintenance tasks, and make sure you have qualified individuals assigned to response duties.
With some proactive efforts, you can build a better plan that helps your facility weather any situation.
