Industrial Equipment Maintenance Key to Protecting Empoyees

How Important Is Equipment Maintenance in Terms of Industrial Safety?

 

Equipment maintenance enables businesses to operate smoothly. It reduces downtime, saves money, and ensures that projects are completed on time. Since small problems can cause big issues, leading to expensive downtime and missed deadlines, detailed equipment checklists help technicians monitor and spot problems early on.

Equipment operators who see the machines every day tend to be the best at spotting potential issues. They can bring them to the attention of their managers for timely intervention.

Preventative Maintenance

From hand tools to power equipment, even small mistakes in maintenance can lead to dangerous situations that could potentially cause a loss of life. In fact, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration reports that workplace accidents are linked to inconsistent or inadequate maintenance standards.

Putting off equipment maintenance may seem like a good idea at the time, but it will cost your company much more in the long run. When you neglect to maintain your equipment, small problems will get bigger, leading to more complex repairs with higher price tags. Then, you’ll have to pay for the labor needed to repair the equipment and any production delays that resulted from unplanned downtime.

Furthermore, the longer your assets remain in service, the more you’ll save on disposal and procurement costs for new machines. Preventative maintenance schedules allow your business to get the most out of each asset while also keeping your workforce safe.

The more often you inspect and service your equipment, the less likely it will break down or create hazards. This will help your business save on labor, production and supply chain expenses while also reducing your risk of costly liability lawsuits and the impact on worker safety. Moreover, your clients will appreciate that you can always depend on your products and services. With a regular preventative maintenance program in place, you can extend the lifespan of your equipment and increase overall efficiency by monitoring factors like MTBF (mean time between failures) and other indicators of impending breakdowns.

Corrective Maintenance

This type of maintenance involves fixing a piece of equipment or machine after it breaks down. This can be unavoidable, as maintenance teams often find themselves responding to equipment failures in real time. However, relying solely on corrective maintenance can be a bad idea in the long term.

The main reason for this is the risk of reduced productivity and quality because of a broken machine. This can be a major problem in the case of production facilities where employees’ performance evaluations are linked to efficiency and output. It can also be an issue in service-based industries, such as a material joining company, where quality is a key factor for customers and the reputation of the business.

Unplanned corrective maintenance can occur when a failure occurs unexpectedly, or when a repair is needed but wasn’t planned (as part of a condition-based maintenance program). It can also be unavoidable where a fixed asset fails before its scheduled inspection or maintenance action.

When unplanned maintenance occurs, the root cause of the fault is usually not identified. This can make correcting the issue slow and expensive, resulting in unforeseen costs, disruption to other maintenance work and reducing equipment availability for business operations. This can also lead to poor product quality if the root cause is not found, which can be costly for a manufacturer or create safety risks in a service environment.

Repairs

Whether it’s a piece of laptop software or a bulldozer, equipment must be repaired from time to time. These repairs may be easy enough for a company’s employees to carry out, or they could require the services of outside professionals. Whatever the case, a good maintenance schedule is likely to save businesses money in the long run.

Consistent maintenance prevents equipment from breaking down in the first place. This extends the life of the equipment, boosts operational efficiency, and increases productivity. It also saves on the cost of replacement equipment. In addition, many equipment warranties require detailed service records. This gives companies a strong incentive to stay on top of the routine maintenance.

Sudden component failure can be catastrophic for a business. It can cause health hazards for those working with the equipment, damage other equipment, and even result in environmental disasters. Moreover, the cost of repairing the equipment can be astronomical.

It’s important that workers report problems with machinery as soon as they notice them. Failing to do so means that the problem may be allowed to worsen, which can lead to safety risks for those carrying out the maintenance work or who use the equipment afterwards. It is also important to make sure that all machinery and plant are safe before maintenance starts. This includes ensuring that any items with safety-critical features are disconnected from their energy source and have arrangements in place to avoid any inadvertent reconnection.

Replacements

Although equipment maintenance isn’t the most exciting aspect of running a business, it does pay off in terms of increased productivity, reduced cost of repairs and replacements and improved workplace safety. It also helps reduce downtime and ensures compliance with a variety of regulatory requirements.

Delaying routine maintenance can result in costly repairs and downtime, especially if a major problem develops. Besides the expense of labor to repair the broken equipment, companies may lose out on valuable production time as they wait for parts to ship and the equipment to be repaired. Depending on the industry, one unplanned downtime event can result in thousands of dollars lost in revenue, which makes equipment maintenance an imperative part of any business.

A comprehensive equipment maintenance plan includes regular inspections and routine cleaning, lubrication, tightening, calibration, and replacing parts. This plan should be based on the manufacturer’s recommended schedule and specific use conditions. It should include documented records of all maintenance activities and the results of those tasks. It’s a good idea to have rotating spares for critical equipment to minimize downtime and costs.

Regardless of the cost or value, any old, damaged, or inoperable piece of equipment poses a risk for workers. Not only does it violate a company’s obligation to provide safe working conditions, but it can also lead to legal issues and diminished morale.