3 Key Ways Planned Maintenance Powers Your Business

Most businesses recognize that industrial equipment that operates efficiently saves money – but many don’t recognize that Planned Maintenance is vital to keeping it that way.
Planned maintenance activities allow equipment and systems problems to be addressed before malfunctions occur, preventing costly downtime for both machinery and labour. Most importantly, they minimize the chance of a catastrophic event that could result in irreparable damage to equipment and facilities – or worse, to employees.

Load fluctuation, heavy loads, age, vibration, metal fatigue and operating environments with extreme temperatures, wind, chemicals or particles in the atmosphere increase the rate of deterioration over time.

Monitoring the condition of electrical equipment and systems through a Planned Maintenance Program allows electrical system deterioration to be identified. Appropriate repairs or replacements can then be planned to occur within optimum timeframes to minimize impact on productivity.

1. Reduced Costs:

A good Planned Maintenance Program can generate energy savings, improve power quality, increase uptime, reduce repair and labour costs, reduce risk and minimize equipment malfunctions and emergencies related to:

	Power Distribution		Exit/Emergency Lighting
	Production systems		Office & Plant Lighting
	Conveyor Systems		High Voltage Substations
	Outside Lighting		Back Up Power Systems
	Fire Alarms		Energy efficient lighting

In fact, Planned Maintenance can reduce energy consumption and result in as much as a 1-4% saving in energy costs. And, since electrical failures result in an average of six hours of business interruption, a Planned Maintenance Program can quickly pay for itself.

2. Extended Equipment Life:

A Planned Maintenance Program extends equipment life by identifying possible problems before they become critical and possibly irreparable. Though electrical system malfunctions are the leading cause of fire in commercial buildings, most electrical failures can be traced to poorly maintained or improperly installed equipment.

3. Improved Safety:

It’s a fact: safety improves when companies proactively address maintenance of electrical systems and process equipment, lighting, production and energy systems. In a recent Ontario study, poorly maintained electrical equipment sustained over $30 million in equipment damage and related costs and was also the direct cause of six deaths and more than 120 injuries. Maintaining a safe work environment and fostering a culture of safety in the workplace not only protects employees, it also results in higher productivity.