19th November 2008
Elements that define the System of Maintenance Management
Many blogs and forums are dedicated to debunking myths about planning and scheduling and how these processes can or can not assure plant reliability. They are all missing the point because they have not recognized that these processes are simply elements within a system. Unless you understand the elements that define this system, you will not be able to manage it and realize the plant performance you desire.
Operational objectives must begin with Management Commitment and Leadership. Clearly, maintenance performance must start with a highly visible backing and support from the top - the greater the gap, the greater the level of commitment required. A Maintenance Policy needs to be developed and implemented, which promotes a common purpose for all operations (production and maintenance) personnel. The Organisation Structure must be flexible, allowing open participation from the entire workforce, in order to achieve operational requirements in the most timely and cost effective manner. Control of maintenance must be developed through a work-load management system incorporating work flows, organisational responsibilities and work guidelines.
Maintenance enhancement review and performance analysis needs to be established through a TQM styled process which facilitates continuous improvement to achieve optimum equipment and resource performance. A system of analysis and evaluation of equipment history, along with document and maintenance records control should be entrenched in the culture of the operation. Regular internal and external maintenance system audits are required in order to prevent decay, ensure compliance and motivate system improvements.
Best practice requires an efficient and effective financial control policy and system which tracks all maintenance related costs to enable accurate management reporting and decision making. This system needs to incorporate spares procurement and inventory management, together with Life Cycle Budgeting. Best practice cost management will incorporate the full implementation and use of a Computerised Maintenance Management System (CMMS) to enable effective analysis of maintenance and equipment performance.
Planning is a highly critical system element of maintenance management. The most successful operations have developed a strategy based maintenance plan, incorporating continual improvement and preventative/predictive activities that are linked to the corporate business plan. Operational analysis tools are required to increase the awareness and understanding of equipment performance capabilities that are matched with operational goals and to implement Condition Based Monitoring in order to predict equipment condition and enable corrective response actions. Planning will incorporate the use of contracted service providers to supplement the internal workforce, allowing them to focus on the core maintenance activities of critical equipment items. Maintenance Planning and Scheduling is a vital ingredient in order to develop the most cost effective and prioritised work order schedule to make best use of all available resources.
Finally, we all recognise the critical importance of Safety and Training. Best Practice organisations have highly developed Standard Procedures and Job Instructions that are continually updated to minimise variations from quality and safe practices. Safety management and awareness training is ongoing, along with skills development training which enable individuals to reach their full potential and keep up with technological advances. Quality systems are developed in accordance with Best Practice requirements.
These elements have not been addressed in any order of priority. The interconnections and feedback flows of data between processes form the dynamics of the system. The delays between outcome and consequential responses / actions taken form the behaviour of the system. These twenty two elements must be managed collectively, and can be used to measure progress towards, delivery of ‘operational excellence’.
How well is your operation addressing the elements of the maintenance management system?
The ISO 9001 standard requires that a company develops and implements a basic quality management system, using the specific elements to ensure the company is capable of maintaining uniformity of its processes and, as a result, provides its customers with a consistent quality of products and services. ISO 9001:2000 comprises a series of standards outlining the requirements for quality management systems.