Repairs are often done under time pressure, which increases the likelihood of an error. Compounding the problem, a repair job is seldom clearly delineated. It usually starts off as a mystery, with the repair technician using a troubleshooting process to determine what needs to be done to fix the problem. The tech may not have encountered this particular problem before, so the whole job is a learning experience. And with so much unknown, the repair tech cannot even look up the answers.
Compare this to the typical preventive maintenance task, which is clearly delineated and repeated many times. The tech conducting his 12th motor maintenance PM knows what to do, but the tech responding to his 12th motor failure call is probably working his 12th one-off job.
Any repair should start with taking “as found” data and end with taking “as left” data. Photographs can help with this. For at least your critical equipment, you should have a repair procedure. Ensure it includes a post-repair checklist designed to catch errors made during the repair. Ask your techs to supply ideas for this checklist.
About the Author
Mark Lamendola
Mark is an expert in maintenance management, having racked up an impressive track record during his time working in the field. He also has extensive knowledge of, and practical expertise with, the National Electrical Code (NEC). Through his consulting business, he provides articles and training materials on electrical topics, specializing in making difficult subjects easy to understand and focusing on the practical aspects of electrical work.
Prior to starting his own business, Mark served as the Technical Editor on EC&M for six years, worked three years in nuclear maintenance, six years as a contract project engineer/project manager, three years as a systems engineer, and three years in plant maintenance management.
Mark earned an AAS degree from Rock Valley College, a BSEET from Columbia Pacific University, and an MBA from Lake Erie College. He’s also completed several related certifications over the years and even was formerly licensed as a Master Electrician. He is a Senior Member of the IEEE and past Chairman of the Kansas City Chapters of both the IEEE and the IEEE Computer Society. Mark also served as the program director for, a board member of, and webmaster of, the Midwest Chapter of the 7x24 Exchange. He has also held memberships with the following organizations: NETA, NFPA, International Association of Webmasters, and Institute of Certified Professional Managers.