If your business operates heavy machinery, effective and efficient maintenance is essential for your success.
Here, we explore why maintenance is important, the different types, who should maintain equipment, and when you should replace it.
Why is proper maintenance important?
If machinery is pivotal to the running of your business, then it’s essential to look after your equipment. This will help ensure that production runs smoothly and isn’t halted due to a breakdown or fault with your machinery. Ultimately, this means less time lost due to paused operations and therefore protection of your bottom line.
Of course, maintenance is also hugely important in terms of health and safety. If a machine isn’t working properly, it can be a hazard for you and your staff. Maintaining machinery and identifying faults early will help you to minimise any risks and avoid serious injuries or fatalities.
Maintaining your equipment in line with regulations will ensure you’re adhering to your legal requirements as an employer.
What types of maintenance should you use?
There are several different types of maintenance, each equally as important for your business.
Preventative maintenance: this essentially means you have a team of engineers or technicians who perform regular checks on the equipment to stop any faults or issues from occurring. Typically, this requires regular maintenance checks throughout the year. The benefit of preventative maintenance is it reduces the likelihood of breakdowns so your business can run smoothly.
Reactive maintenance: this is when maintenance is carried out due to a fault or breakdown of your machinery. It is usually an emergency call-out that requires quick and efficient maintenance to get your machinery up and running again.
Predictive maintenance: this type of maintenance uses technology such as artificial intelligence to predict when a fault or breakdown will occur. This allows you to act on any issues before the machine suffers a major issue.
Who should maintain the equipment?
When it comes to carrying out maintenance work, the job must be carried out by a competent person who has the skills, information, and training required. Depending on the type of machinery, you may need to employ a specialist contractor or technicians from the manufacturer to ensure the maintenance is carried out safely.
When should you replace machinery?
To maintain safe and efficient equipment, it’s essential to know when to replace it. For instance, if you have machines that lift heavy equipment regularly, parts may deteriorate over time.
You should replace these pieces when necessary, such as with new lift slings like those from RS, to avoid exceeding the lifespan of the part and reduce any associated risks.
You may also need to replace machinery if it suffers a breakdown that can’t be repaired. It’s important to work with your technicians and engineers to understand when parts or machines need replacing and act on advice quickly.
By undertaking proper maintenance of your machinery, you can ensure your business operates safely and efficiently – which will set you up for future success.Â
 There are many things that a company can take care of, and as this is a important topic, INS Global can take care of your HR department for you
