4. Preventive Maintenance Compliance

This indicator examines the number of preventive maintenance tasks that are scheduled compared to the number of preventive maintenance tasks completed. Typically compiled on a weekly basis, it is useful for highlighting a preventive maintenance program that may be developed, but not effective. In this case, the effectiveness is hampered by failure to complete the tasks that are scheduled. The reason for this failure may be that production is overcommitted and will not release the equipment for maintenance, or the maintenance resources are overcommitted on breakdowns and emergency work and, therefore, do not have the capacity to complete the scheduled preventive maintenance tasks.

Preventive Maintenance Tasks Completed*

Preventive Maintenance Tasks Scheduled

This indicator takes the total number of preventive maintenance tasks completed (usually weekly) and divides them by the total number of preventive maintenance tasks scheduled. The result is then expressed as a percentage. Of course, the goal is to have 100% completion of the scheduled tasks. Although this number is not easily achieved, it should be the goal of all organizations. All preventive maintenance tasks, including tasks performed by maintenance, operations, or even contractors, should be factored in by this indicator.

Strengths

This indicator effectively measures the compliance an organization has with its preventive maintenance program. It is one of the key indicators for

any preventive maintenance program. If the indicator is graphed weekly over a window of six months, it can be correlated with the percentage of maintenance activities that are breakdown or emergency. The graph will show that as completion rate goes up, the breakdowns and emergencies go down. Conversely, as the completion rate drops, the breakdowns and emergencies increase. If accurately tracked, the correlation is undeniable, and can be used to gain support for the preventive maintenance program.

Weaknesses

The weakness highlighted is not for the indicator, but for a type of preventive maintenance schedule that obscures or hides the fact that preventive maintenance tasks are not completed. This is the dynamic or sliding preventive maintenance schedule. The weakness is that the preventive maintenance task is based on last completion date, not on a fixed schedule or a usage counter. Therefore, if the task is not completed this month, it is not rescheduled until it is completed. There are actually cases where monthly tasks have not been completed for three to six months and they do not show up as late or overdue. No organization that is truly serious about its preventive maintenance program should ever use sliding or dynamic schedules.

5. Preventive Maintenance Estimates Compliance

This indicator compares the estimates of labor and materials costs for preventive maintenance tasks with the actual costs to perform the tasks. This measure points to the accuracy of the estimates. If the estimates are inaccurate, then adjustments can be made so that accuracy can be insured. Accuracy is particularly vital when the maintenance organization is using a scheduling system that is integrated with the production scheduling system. Inaccuracies in such a system will have dramatic negative consequences over time.

Estimated PM Task Costs*

Actual PM Task Costs

The indicator is calculated by dividing the estimated cost by the actual cost, with the result expressed as a percentage. A caution must be highlighted: this indicator should not be measured over a small window of time. On occasion, it is possible for a task to exceed the estimated cost due to exposed problems. However, if this analysis is performed on a semi-annual or annual basis, the results should provide a good indication of the accuracy of the estimates.

Strengths

The strengths of this indicator include the ability to effectively monitor the accuracy of the preventive maintenance task estimates. If the accuracy of the individual estimates are not constantly monitored, then the overall accuracy of the estimated labor and materials required to perform the preventive maintenance tasks will be inaccurate, leading to budgetary problems.

Weaknesses

The biggest weakness of this indicator is the problem of charging non-preventive maintenance tasks to the preventive maintenance activities. For example, if a problem uncovered during the performance of the task is corrected while performing the task, how is the additional labor and material charge billed? If the actual charges, which are repairs, are charged to the preventive maintenance work order, then the estimate is exceeded and the integrity of the estimate is in question. It is a good practice to complete the repair and then charge the costs to a new work order written to identify the work that was actually performed.