What are the most common mistakes to avoid when implementing a preventive maintenance program?

2 Mistake 2: Not prioritizing your assets and tasks

A PM program should not treat all your assets and tasks equally. Some assets are more critical, complex, or costly than others, and some tasks are more urgent, important, or beneficial than others. If you do not prioritize your assets and tasks, you will waste time, money, and resources on low-value activities and neglect high-value ones. To avoid this mistake, you should conduct a risk-based analysis of your assets and tasks, such as failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) or reliability-centered maintenance (RCM). Then, you should assign a priority level to each asset and task based on their impact, likelihood, and consequence of failure.

3 Mistake 3: Not involving your staff and stakeholders

A PM program should not be a top-down decision or a one-person job. It should be a collaborative effort that involves your staff and stakeholders, such as operators, technicians, engineers, managers, suppliers, and customers. If you do not involve your staff and stakeholders, you will miss valuable insights, feedback, and support for your PM program. You will also face resistance, confusion, and dissatisfaction among your staff and stakeholders. To avoid this mistake, you should communicate your goals and expectations for your PM program clearly and frequently. You should also solicit input and suggestions from your staff and stakeholders and empower them to participate and contribute to your PM program.

4 Mistake 4: Not providing adequate training and tools

A PM program should not be based on assumptions or guesswork. It should be based on data and knowledge. To implement a PM program effectively, you need to provide your staff with adequate training and tools to perform their PM tasks correctly and efficiently. If you do not provide adequate training and tools, you will compromise the quality and consistency of your PM program. You will also increase the risk of errors, accidents, and injuries among your staff. To avoid this mistake, you should assess the skills and competencies of your staff and identify any gaps or needs for improvement. Then, you should provide them with relevant and timely training and tools, such as manuals, checklists, procedures, or software.

5 Mistake 5: Not reviewing and improving your PM program

A PM program should not be a static or rigid process. It should be a dynamic and flexible process that adapts to changing conditions and demands. To ensure that your PM program remains relevant and effective, you need to review and improve your PM program regularly and continuously. If you do not review and improve your PM program, you will miss opportunities to optimize your PM activities and outcomes. You will also fall behind the best practices and standards in your industry. To avoid this mistake, you should monitor and measure your PM performance and results using your KPIs and other data sources. Then, you should analyze and identify any strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, or threats for your PM program and implement corrective or preventive actions accordingly.