Why Don't FM's Do Electrical PM?

One of the things I enjoyed doing even before I joined C3 was presentations on Preventive Maintenance (PM). Starting my career as a millwright/industrial mechanic that later specialized in PM, Predictive Maintenance (PdM) and written maintenance plans gave me a great background in PM plans, the value of PM, and how to build an effective PM plan.

Later in my career I would take my first foray into electrical engineering and testing, which gave me the knowledge I was lacking when it comes to electrical PM’s. When I went back into Facilities Management I discovered that electrical PM was not very common at all, amongst Facilities Managers. Fifteen years later it has improved, but still lacking, in my opinion. Now I am back in the electrical testing, engineering, and conformity world and things have changed. Electrical PM (EPM) is not only a best practice now, it is a regulatory requirement. Wait, what??!!

Most of us in the facilities and property management realms understand the value of PM. There is a ton of data substantiating Preventive Maintenance as a best practice. Interestingly – many Plant Engineers, Facilities Techs and other maintenance staffers who would not dream of ignoring PM on chillers, air conditioners, or other equipment – have not included electrical gear in their PM programs. That being said, we all know the disruption and/or damage that can occur when electrical gear fails. What would cause more disruption to your facility – an air handler going offline, or your main SES? Yet many of you have an SES that has been untouched for years. Maybe, decades…

Depending on your source, the following are some cost benefits to an effective PM program:

? Return on investment: up to 3 times

? Reduction in maintenance costs: up to 30%

? Elimination of breakdowns: up to 75%

? Reduction in downtime: up to 45%

? Increase in production: up to 25%

Repairs completed during PM are much cheaper than unscheduled and/or break down repairs. The true cost of a machine breakdown has been estimated as between four to 15 times the (preventive) maintenance costs.

Apparently the fear of a disconnect failing or main breaker not tripping isn’t enough to implement a best practice with uptime and real-dollar benefits; now we have regulations saying we need to maintain our electrical gear. How so? Keep reading…

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is a federal agency that operates under the U.S. Department of Labor. The mission of OSHA is: “to assure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education and assistance.” (Source: OSHA.gov)

To address those hazards related to electrical safety, OSHA relies upon the consensus standards established by NFPA in its 70E Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace. OSHA refers to these standards when developing regulations for the CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) pertaining to federal labor laws. For example, OSHA requires that employees be trained to recognize and protect themselves from specific electrical hazards. So while the NFPA 70E standard itself is not law, it establishes the safety guidelines which enable employers to comply with OSHA laws dealing with electrical workplace safety and required employee electrical safety training.

NFPA 70E contains requirements that mandate the user of the standard consider the maintenance of electrical equipment. NFPA 70E defines the condition of maintenance as the state of the electrical equipment considering the manufacturers’ instructions and recommendations, as well as applicable industry codes, standards and recommended practices. NFPA 70E contains requirements for employers with respect to maintenance when performing a shock or arc flash risk assessment. These are safety-driven requirements, not best practices designed to enhance system reliability. (Electrical Contractor Magazine, Dollard, Jim. 2020)

Finally, it is important to note that NFPA 70E 205.3 states, “The equipment owner or the owner’s designated representative shall be responsible for maintenance of the electrical equipment and

documentation.” In other words, building owners and their representatives (FM’s) are responsible for EPM, accurate Arc Flash hazard Analysis and labeling, etc.

Summary

Much like changing the oil in our cars, Preventive Maintenance on our electrical gear is a best practice that reduces repair costs, increases uptime, and extends the life of your equipment. As if that wasn’t enough of a motivation, regulatory requirements (via NFPA 70E) now require a maintenance program, and an Arc Flash Hazard Analysis relies on knowing that the devices will operate as intended, in the event of a fault or overload. Finally, a comprehensive PM program reduces the risk of injury or even death, along with the associated liability. Liability that is more and more being pushed to not just owners, but owners’ representatives, staff members, sub-contractors and even inspectors.

Acceptance and maintenance testing, along with preventive maintenance activities are not mythical black arts. They are specific testing protocols at prescribed frequencies, carried out by qualified personnel. These protocols and practices are developed by professional bodies, based on decades of testing and data, focused on reliability and safety.

More and more FM’s are catching on to the idea and convincing their C-Suites the need for budgeting resources to address electrical systems maintenance. This is odd in itself as PM in all other areas is an accepted practice with proven benefits. Imagine suggesting to your executives that you could save money by eliminating filter changes or elevator maintenance – you’d be laughed out of the office. I think property managers are a bit ahead of Facilities managers when it comes to EPM, maybe because in many cases it is easier to facilitate the shutdowns that are sometimes needed to do electrical maintenance. Regardless, it’s time to make electrical PM a widespread, standard practice, not one reserved for “big” or “wealthy” companies. After all, the law requires it…

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