As we enter the new year, it’s critical to establish clear asset management objectives and create plans for accomplishing them. Here are eight strategies to help you achieve your asset management goals in the upcoming year:
Start by conducting a thorough inventory of your assets. This will provide a clear picture of what you have, where it is located, and what condition it is in.
Create a thorough maintenance schedule outlining the frequency and methods for inspecting, maintaining, and servicing each asset. The less downtime you experience, the easier it will be to spot possible issues before they arise.
Make sure your asset management policies and procedures are regularly reviewed and updated to reflect industry best practices and your organization’s requirements.
Engage your team, and make sure they understand your asset management goals and the strategies you have in place to reach them. Encourage them to express their opinions and provide recommendations for enhancements.
Determine areas for improvement by monitoring and tracking asset performance.
Prioritize routine training for maintenance staff to make sure they have the abilities and knowledge to look maintain assets.
By putting these tactics into practice, you will be able to optimize the performance of your assets, increase their lifespan and achieve your asset management goals in the New Year.
Checklists for maintenance are an important tool for ensuring that equipment is properly maintained and maintenance teams have completed tasks on time. Checklists can help to save time and money by assisting with the early detection and resolution of potential difficulties.
The following are some advantages of adopting maintenance checklists:
Improved system performance: Performing routine maintenance on a system helps to ensure that it is running as efficiently as possible, which can lead to lower energy bills and better indoor air quality.
Increased system lifespan: By spotting and fixing possible problems early on, proper maintenance can make the system last longer.
Reduced downtime: By preventing malfunctions and reducing downtime, regular maintenance can help to reduce costs associated with lost production.
Regulation compliance: Many industrial HVAC systems are subject to rules and requirements that call for routine maintenance. A checklist can be used to guarantee adherence to these rules.
Safety: Regular maintenance can help to guarantee that the system is safe to use, thereby shielding the general public and employees from any threats brought on by broken HVAC systems.
While having a checklist is vital, it’s equally important to have a professional go through it because they have the knowledge and experience necessary to carry out the inspection and maintenance duties correctly.
Some checklists that we have put together include:
Work order management software helps an organization track, prioritize, and complete work orders across its business. When used along with a comprehensive work order and asset management system, it can help a company streamline its operations and ensure all equipment, devices, and building infrastructure is working correctly.
In reality, having a strong work order system in place is essential to ensuring that a business runs efficiently and that its staff has access to the tools they require whenever they need them. So, what is a work order? At a high level, a work order is an action or task assigned to a person or team. It describes the maintenance work required for a piece of equipment, and it can either be recorded on paper or digitally. Work orders can be submitted internally by an employee or externally by a customer.
The Benefits Of Having Work Order Management Software
A maintenance crew may receive hundreds of work orders each week, depending on the size of the company and the nature of the industry.
Software for work order management can help with it. A recent BusinessWire research found that businesses employing this software had a 20% reduction in material costs and equipment downtime.
With the aid of work order software, you can quickly keep track of your incoming tickets, assign them a priority, and check on their status. You can also proactively improve your preventive maintenance program using the information on the performance of your equipment.
Let’s examine some of the main advantages of work order management software, as well as the significance of integrating it with other enterprise tools like your asset management system or CMMS.
Improving Work Order Submission Processes
Work Order Management Software may streamline procedures for all employees who need to submit work requests, not only technicians.
Employees can submit tickets for both facilities issues and IT-related issues through the same portal, for instance, when you combine your work order solution with other business applications (such as IT systems). They only need to briefly describe their issue, and the system will send their request to the appropriate queue. No matter the problem, this makes it much simpler to produce work orders.
Work Order Automation
You can automatically assign work orders to the appropriate person or team by using work order management software. You can make sure that requests are automatically routed to the technician who is qualified to address a problem with an HVAC system, for instance.
In addition, your field technicians can submit comments about the equipment or update work orders in real-time while working on the equipment when you utilize work order management software that connects to a mobile application. This minimizes double entering and guarantees that your data is correct and current. The procedure is streamlined; technicians can finish the tasks given to them, send invoices, and monitor their performance all from the mobile application.
Additionally, technicians may quickly access pertinent service history, manuals, knowledge bases, spare parts inventory, and training videos when your work order management system is linked to a comprehensive asset management solution.
Compiling Analytics
You can get sophisticated, precise metrics by sharing work order data on one central platform with your other business analytics. Measures of work order response times, asset repair costs, requests for corrective maintenance, and more can be included in reports and dashboards.
This makes it much simpler to view the data, assess how you’re doing in relation to KPIs, and formulate long-term plans and reports to important stakeholders.
Making Preventive and Corrective Maintenance More Effective
When completing routine inspections, such as safety checks or cleaning rounds, maintenance staff can expedite their procedure by centralizing all documentation, training materials, and maintenance checklists. Additionally, they can immediately submit a corrective work order to rectify any problems they find.
Additionally, it becomes much simpler to see trends when employing a software system to manage all of the equipment’s data. Facilities teams can more precisely anticipate expenses, modify maintenance plans, manage resources, and allocate funds for new equipment when they can identify which equipment is frequently failing and which needs further maintenance.
Better Resource Management
Technicians may check their schedule and upcoming work orders with the aid of a mobile CMMS. They can do this to better manage their time and prevent scheduling conflicts. Additionally, CMMS may assist businesses with inventory management and make sure they have the parts and tools they need on hand to complete work orders.
Reduced Costs
Mobile CMMS can assist organizations in saving money by streamlining maintenance operations and lowering the amount of time personnel spend on administrative activities. By enabling experts to troubleshoot problems remotely, it can also aid in lowering the necessity for pricey on-site trips.
The Benefits of Connected Workplaces
You can prioritize and execute work orders more quickly if you have a good work order management approach. Without a thorough system in place, you risk repeated data entry, extended processing times, and lowered asset performance visibility.
Additionally enhancing communication between technicians and the office is mobile work order management. The office can simply keep track of the status of work orders in real time, and technicians can easily communicate with the office about any issues they face while on the job. This may shorten wait times and raise client satisfaction.
When work order management software is integrated with other business procedures, it can assist expedite operations and guarantee that all equipment and gadgets are functioning properly.
Backlog management is a difficult task. To guarantee that maintenance jobs are completed on schedule, backlog tasks need to be prioritized according to their importance, materials, and resources. They also need to be successfully managed and scheduled.
A CMMS (computerized maintenance management system) is a software tool that is used to manage and track maintenance activities. A PLC (programmable logic controller) is a specialized computer-based system that is used to control and monitor industrial processes. By combining a CMMS with PLCs, organizations can gain a number of advantages.
You want to maintain your equipment operating at its best for as long as possible because you have invested a lot of money in it. But using your equipment to its full potential can cause serious damage. The power and efficiency are decreased by this wear and tear, which can even result in significant, irreparable damage. Operating your equipment at maximum efficiency all the time and neglecting maintenance will eventually result in unanticipated failures and disruptions to your business operations.
If you can relate to any of these signs, you are overworking your equipment. Read more…
Facility managers should winterize their facilities to safeguard them from potential threats and to maintain maximum energy efficiency to reduce energy costs.
We’ve gathered some of the top suggestions for winterizing your building to maximize energy efficiency and ward off potential weather-related issues.
Minimize Heat Loss
When the weather delivers ice, snow, high winds, and bitter cold, the temperature for your facility must be optimal:
To ensure that the HVAC system is prepared to meet the demands of the impending cold weather, inspect and optimize it before winter. To maintain the quality of the air in your facility and to ease the strain on your HVAC system, the majority of HVAC air filters should be changed every three months.
Reduce energy loss by inspecting the facility for leaks, cracks, drafts, and other problems. To check whether windows and doors are adequately sealed, look at the weather stripping.
Turn off cooling systems properly. To be ready for the warmer season, schedule repairs for the winter.
Standardize thermostat settings to make sure that it is comfortable and energy efficient.
Interior Building Maintenance
Create a strategy and allocate resources to keep ice, snow, and other debris out of interior floors, elevators, and other traffic areas.
Develop a plan and resources to ensure that interior floors, elevators, and other traffic areas are kept free of ice, snow, and other debris.
Check smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and emergency backup generators.
Create a routine for replenishing sanitizers and other safety supplies to maintain a clean environment.
Establish a program for thorough cleaning of the interior spaces, including the desks and other workstations, kitchens, restrooms, and doorknobs.
Check that all interior lighting is functional and well-lit to ensure that spaces are secure, particularly during a power outage.
Exterior Building Maintenance
Now is the time to do any repairs or improvements to the exterior of your facilities in order to reduce the need for emergency repairs:
Ensure that the doorways, stairs, walkways, and exits are accessible and in good condition.
>Check basements for leaks and be ready in case one occurs.
Develop a plan on where to stockpile snow, salt, shovels, and other snow removal items.
Take out any tree branches, fallen leaves, and other outdoor debris.
Prepare and winterize outside maintenance tools including snowplows and tractors.
Store other seasonal supplies like tools, furniture, tables, and chairs out of the way.
Regularly clean gutters, downspouts, and drains to reduce the accumulation of snow and ice that could cause leaks and roof damage.
Check the drainage and roof to ensure that all roof components are in good condition and capable of withstanding a storm.
Check parking lots, streets, and other areas to make sure the pavement is free of potholes and other potential dangers.
Inspect pipes and faucets, both the facility’s interior and exterior. Frozen pipes that can burst can cost a lot of time and money.
Disconnect every water hose.
Create a winter schedule for clearing the snow, cleaning the stairways and walkways, and allocating the necessary resources.
Make certain that all outdoor meters, propane tanks, etc. are reachable during bad weather.
Fire Protection Systems
Keep hydrants, valves, and standpipe connections accessible and marked. Set up routine inspections during bad weather to check clearance.
Make sure the internal sprinkler system is currently serviced, operational, and ready for winter.
Equipment Maintenance
Although the equipment is built to operate in the toughest of conditions, a few simple procedures to winterize your machines will help keep your equipment/assets running at peak performance:
According to the guidelines provided by the manufacturer, make a checklist, schedule, and carry out a complete examination of the machinery.
Install the proper lubricants, transmission fluid, etc., and check the fluid levels.
Generators should be tested to make sure they are operating properly.
Make sure there are no leaks or cracks in the hoses by inspecting them.
Examine the electrical wiring to make sure nothing is broken or damaged.
Store outside equipment away from the weather to reduce the need for additional labor, such as shoveling snow.
Make sure all of your tires are inflated properly, especially when the weather changes.
Examine repair logs to identify aging components or components that are close to failure.
Charge your batteries completely.
Verify that all tools and equipment are fuelled and prepared for use.
Make sure that everyone plans their schedules appropriately for those machines that need to run a while to warm up in the cold winter weather.
Disaster and Emergency Planning
In preparing your facilities for the winter, it is important to review your emergency and disaster planning procedures:’
Make sure your equipment is shutting down safely.
Assign the proper personnel to deal with system emergencies, utility problems, management, and building occupant notifications, and contact the required external authorities.
Make a backup strategy for power outages. Plan in advance when your facility will close and under what circumstances you will continue to operate.
Make sure your staff is aware of the company’s severe weather rules and regulations.
Make sure that all manuals and emergency plans and procedures are easily accessible. Having this information stored in a web-based centralized system that is accessible from anywhere is a necessity. Bits of paper tacked on walls can easily be covered up with other papers or torn down.
Preparing for Winter and How to Come Back Stronger After A Shutdown
Most businesses were not prepared for the massive shutdowns we recently encountered. Facility managers are still facing additional tasks of winterizing their equipment, facilities, and coping with the new safety regulations. As you are trying to meet the new guidelines, it is important to put your maintenance plans in place to optimize equipment performance with minimal disruption to your business:
Review repair records to determine the pieces of equipment that need urgent care.
Manage your inventory so you have the right parts at the right time, now and in the future.
Do everything according to all current best practices to ensure the safety of your employees and customers.
Make sure that employees are trained and understand how to accommodate the increase in work orders due to weather changes.
Install surge protectors and emergency power supplies throughout your facility.
Conclusion
Managing routine maintenance and facilities tasks is a full-time job. Trying to put an effective maintenance plan in place can be a struggle. Trying to identify every asset along with the corresponding history can be a nightmare. Combining all of these issues can lead to frustration, missed goals and is very time-consuming. Managing these tasks using spreadsheets is inefficient and takes a lot of time. The information is outdated by the time you enter it on the spreadsheet.
By having access to facility management software, such as a CMMS, building maintenance can be optimized and managed easily through mobile and desktop applications. This technology is used by facility managers worldwide and provides companies with a wide array of advantages. Technicians arrive onsite with everything they need to get the job done properly.
Facility and maintenance managers have major tasks ahead of them. Things are moving quickly, and your facilities and maintenance operations need to keep up with the fast pace and growing demands. All of these winter preparation and prevention tasks can be stored in a central system, making scheduling and meeting deadlines easy. Having a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) makes all of your preventative maintenance tasks easier and especially when it is as important as preparing for cold weather and freezing temperatures.
Regular maintenance is necessary to increase equipment reliability, keep equipment operating at optimum efficiency, and prevent unexpected breakdowns. However, setting up a preventative maintenance program may be challenging, and there are several typical errors operators make along the way that can increase the likelihood of unplanned equipment failure. This blog post will identify some of the preventive maintenance mistakes that you should avoid in order to ensure equipment reliability. Get some useful tips on how to avoid them…..
With so many technology acronyms throughout all industries, we have put together the two following guides to help give you a better understanding of the terms and definitions.
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