INFORMATION SHEET 5.4-1

Document Maintenance Inspection

There is a need to put into writing the different activities pertaining to  the maintenance of the facilities and equipment and other learning materials in the training institution explaining how your system works, how to use  such facilities and equipment, how to maintain and how to dispose them if their useful life has ended.

Complete, accurate, and current  documentation  is essential to an effective maintenance program. Whether performing preventive, predictive, condition- based, or reliability-centered maintenance, keeping track of equipment condition and maintenance— performed and planned—is critical.

Importance of Documentation

Documentation is a must in the modern world. Essentially, quality documentation is the type of documentation where a physical process or activity is conveyed through the  medium of writing by having it noted down  in a document of some kind. This is a necessity due to several reasons. Most importantly, it allows errors to be isolated and successes to be replicated. Documentation also helps you to guard against the risk of  potential  litigation.

One of the most important parts of running any successful or organization is to make sure that you always have clear precise documentation of every single important transaction, process,  and  action that takes place. This will allow you to have a clear reference point whenever anything is in question. Additionally, the chances of processes and actions deviating from their expected results are very low when there is a comprehensive and systematic database of documentation concerning the appropriate requirements and procedures that need to be implemented.

Reason for Documentation

The reason for the reporting and documentation process is to collect  data that can be used to optimized efficiency and enable cost- effective decisions and actions. It gives those carrying out the works the information they need. Documents are also used to prepare cost estimates and to obtain tenders from prospective contractors.

Complete, accurate, and current documentation is essential to an effective maintenance program. Whether performing preventive, predictive, condition-based, or reliability-centered maintenance, keeping track of equipment condition and maintenance—performed and planned—is critical.

Documentation should be prepared by qualified personnel. The key to good documentation is to correctly identify the problem to be solved, and hence to specify an appropriate solution. The nature and extent of the work must then be clearly conveyed to those who will do it. This information sheet discusses firstly what to document, and secondly how.

Other documents that are important relative to maintenance are drawings and specification.

Drawings are usually the most efficient way to convey what something looks like, how big it  is  and how it fits together. It is important for the trainer to be provided with the drawing of the machines under their custody to be able to identify probable defects or  missing part. Drawings could provide the relevant information to the technician if repairs are done in-house.

Trainers should maintain a ledger card for this purpose.

A specification is a written description of the  materials  and techniques to be used in the work. Most project specifications incorporate references to standard specifications.

Maintenance Forms

Typical forms used in maintenance either in preventive or emergency repairs are Breakdown/Repair Report. Others have Incident/Observation Report Form. In requesting work, Job Order or Work Request Form is used.

At times, pre-inspection is done before repair. Another inspection is done after the conditioning or repair  of  equipment. This activity is documented in an Inspection Report

Form. At times, only one sheet or form is used for the following: Repair/Breakdown Report, Work Request, Inspection and Salvage or Waste Material Report. This shall depend on the procedures and structure of the organization.

Some organizations also conduct regular inspections of all  their  facilities. The frequency of inspections and the people who conducts inspection is contingent on the policy of an organization.

Sample Template #14 is an Inspection Report for all GMAW welding equipment in GMAW workshop while Sample Template #15 is an inspection  of all equipment in the practical work area of Computer Hardware Servicing.

Reporting Process

Based on the inspection report, undertake the following:

  1. Analyze inspection report;
  2. Investigate condition of facilities based on the inspection report and in conformance with the standard;
  3. Prepare repair improvement  schedule  to correct malfunctions and damage ((if any); and
  4. Install continues maintenance on facilities.

Documentation Process

Collecting data shall be the first job to be accomplished.

  1. Data collected shall be used as reference for technical information or as  a basis to structure the equipment and facilities inventory.
  2. The inventory shall be used as one of the bases in planning the maintenance of equipment and facilities as well as in documentation

Types of Documents in the Maintenance of Facilities

  1. Equipment   and   Facilities   Inventory.   This   can   also   be   called construction or engineering documents which shows:
    • Comprehensive list of equipment/facilities with corresponding number and description
    • Functional relations between equipment/areas housed by each building
    • Geographical    position/location    of    equipment   and    facilities (includes shop layout and vicinity maps)

2. Technical Documentation. Any documents useful for maintenance are:

  • Mechanical, electrical, architectural, plumbing and equipment  plans
  • List of components and spare parts of each equipment
  • Parts and functions of areas housed in each building including ducting, if any.
  • Equipment user manuals with details of the functions, operations, etc.
  • Work and repair manuals for each equipment or any document explaining how it can be repaired
  • Maintenance manuals

Equipment and Facilities History

  • Information on life of equipment (date of installation/construction, repairs/replacements, refurbishment, etc.)
  • Information in cost of equipment and construction/improvement of facilities (considering also the cost of repairs whether major or minor)

A historical record is a basic component of any maintenance system. All maintenance and repair activity of an equipment item should be reported for inclusion in an historical record. A single record that contains the complete maintenance history of the item, including preventive maintenance, breakdown, repair, and rebuild data should be maintained.

The minimal information required to establish a record in a system should consist of the following four items:

  • an identification number for the piece of equipment or  work  activity (What)
    • the location of the maintenance work (Where)
    • a determination of what operations are to be performed and how often (Why, when, and How)
    • a judgment as to what craft skills is required to perform the operation (Who)

Monitoring, Recording and Reporting

  1. The Trainer/Authorized Staff shall maintain and keep a complete set of the following documents for each equipment and facility:
    1. Inventory
    2. Technical information, and
    3. Operation and maintenance manuals
  2. The following records shall be maintained and filed in complete sets:
    1. Inspection record
    2. Breakdown record, and
    3. Repair and maintenance record
  3. Records shall be arranged according to:
    1. Number of breakdowns
    2. Maintenance cost
    3. Repair and maintenance details, and
    4. Material consumption
  4. All other information concerning equipment and facilities effectiveness interventions shall be recorded accordingly.
  5. All information concerning any operation intervention shall be recorded for monitoring and reporting purposes.
  6. Then information necessary for the documentation of works shall be as follows:
  • Maintenance listing
    • Manpower utilization
    • Work backlog
    • Material cost
    • Cost analysis

Reports that lead to the identification of work pertains to how a maintenance department determines requirements for craft labor hours. The various methods of identifying work are:

  • complaints
    • emergency service calls
    • foreman’s inspection
    • manufacturer and safety standards
    • periodic maintenance
    • inspection by craftsmen    or inspection group
    • formalized planning

Storing Documents

  • Available documents must be kept-up-to-date
    • Each document must have a title and a control internal number
    • The list shall mention where certain documents are, considering that not all documents are always in the maintenance division (location and responsible personnel.

Reports that lead to the identification of work pertains to how a maintenance department determines requirements for craft labor hours. The various methods of identifying work are:

  • complaints
    • emergency service calls
    • foreman’s inspection
    • manufacturer and safety standards
    • periodic maintenance
    • inspection by craftsmen or inspection group
    • formalized planning

Storing Documents

  • Available documents must be kept-up-to-date
    • Each document must have a title and a control internal number
    • The list shall mention where certain documents are, considering that not all documents are always in the maintenance division (location and responsible personnel.