What do you think is the most fearful condition for an industrial asset management team? Is it a building collapse? Stormwater overrun? Or flooding? No matter what, every emergency brings chaos along with possible injuries and a million dollars’ worth of infrastructure damage. ‘Emergency Maintenance Procedures’ has come to the limelight in recent years in the industrial world as the best solution for such unfortunate circumstances. Even if you cannot stop an incident completely, it is better to react without delay.
In this article, we cover the importance of implementing emergency maintenance procedures for the industrial realm.
What is the Emergency Maintenance?
- When it comes to the concept ‘emergency maintenance’, it revolves around the last-minute, unscheduled fixes or actions necessary to remove the negative impact on the integrity, safety, or operation of buildings, machinery, or other assets. For example, we see different sorts of Equipment malfunctions, infrastructure damage, safety issues, or environmental accidents, and they simply invoke urgent remedial procedures in order to reduce risks and minimise interruptions.
- In other words, it is a jump into action to address unplanned hiccups that threaten the safety, operation, or integrity of buildings and equipment.
- The latter is known as one reactive maintenance methodology for addressing unforeseen equipment breakdowns or malfunctions as well. The sole purpose of establishing such a robust emergency maintenance procedure is to be able to reinstate defective machinery to standard operational performance as soon as feasible while also maintaining safety. On the other hand, it should not only stick to getting equipment back to the intended performance level, as it is essential for lowering the chance of recurrence and undertaking initiatives to sustain the durability of the asset’s lifespan.
Key Reasons for the Importance of Emergency Maintenance Procedures
Reduces Downtime
The fact that emergency maintenance techniques reduce downtime is what shines as the most significant advantage. The dark side of the latter is obviously that the production or services may halt when equipment or systems unexpectedly malfunction, and it will end up in losses and delays.
However, when emergency maintenance procedures are in place, maintenance teams can swiftly locate the issue, resolve it, and reactivate equipment when emergency repairs are carried out according to defined procedures. Since it signals a quick reaction, processes will not remain idle for very long. Combining with reduced downtime, the industrial world will receive the benefits, such as lower revenue and productivity losses due to this.
Avoids Safety Risks
Worker safety remains at the top of the list in considerations relating to the importance of having an emergency maintenance framework. Unexpected equipment failures could open doors for unsafe circumstances such as electrical hazards, chemical spills, or falling components. If these issues are not resolved right away, there is a high possibility of the emergence of injuries through various modalities.
This is where a good emergency maintenance plan stands tall, administering precautionary procedural frameworks, such as turning off machinery, locating environments with elevated risk exposure, and fixing the problem as soon as possible. This curtails the chance of mistakes or employee injury.
Lowers Long-Term Expenses Related to Assets
Be it a manufacturing plant or a water treatment plant, they can indeed save a lot of money in the long run by using emergency maintenance practices to swiftly fix minor issues. When ignoring or delaying the repair of an unexpected failure, it can result in more extensive damage that will cost more to fix.
For instance, if a machine’s little oil leak is not fixed, it may develop into a significant engine failure. Emergency maintenance is the best strategy to guarantee that such problems are fixed right away. This way, it helps the maintenance managers to keep the company away from costly replacements or system overhauls. It not only saves money, but also removes waste, and keeps the valuable assets in working condition for so long.
Enhances Dependability
When emergency maintenance protocols are in place, over time, there will be a significant rise in the dependability of the equipment and systems. Repetitive failure in machines will not happen as the maintenance teams tend to fix them promptly just after they express red alerts. When the teams initiate frequent resolution of unexpected problems, it will put a stop to the minor flaws from developing into larger defects later on.
When tools and systems are highly dependable, errors and delays will be out of concern, as workers can completely rely on them without disruptions. Procedures for emergency maintenance pave the way for monitoring recurring issues, which indicates the capacity to better plan their preventative measures. Enhancing reliability acts as an arrow that targets high asset performance, boosted productivity and smooth operational functioning.
Encourages Compliance
Emergency maintenance protocols aid businesses in upholding institutional requirements in safety regulations and industry requirements. There are stringent protocols that preside over operations, safety, and equipment in many sectors. A business may be subject to fines, penalties, or legal problems in the absence of proper management of unanticipated malfunctions.
Developing explicit protocols for urgent operational interventions enables companies to promptly fix equipment and avoid infractions. During inspections, proper documentation of these processes also operates as authoritative confirmation of observance. In a circumstance where a company adheres to emergency maintenance protocols, this simply validates conformity with prescribed standards when it comes to operational and safety regulations, in parallel with maintaining a secure work environment. In one way, it provides legal protection; in another way, this improves the firm’s credibility with clients and authorities.
Increases Employee confidence
One of the main requirements for an industrial worker to proceed is to have 100% assurance that their working environment has emergency maintenance protocols in place.
Even in contexts resembling unexpected equipment failures and accidents, which are not entirely avoidable, they hold a strong conviction that there exists a rigorously formulated framework to deal with them, and they are in a safe spot. This will keep the tension and anxiety in reference to identifiable risks at bay. Instead of overly prioritising personal and workplace safety, they can concentrate on the work that needs to be done.
It is important to establish this level of safety conviction as it makes the way to form a self-assured workforce, which is cooperative, cautious, and productive. For example, if there is a maintenance requirement in a deep tank of a water treatment plant, the workers will not hesitate to get involved if the emergency maintenance procedures are implemented. Knowing that the sensor network indicates any existence of toxins or irregularities, the workers put their full focus on the subject matter.
Enhances Risk Control
A company, an industrial plant, or a factory must form a proper risk management in the first place. It is visible that with every unexpected system or equipment failure, there can be major financial losses, injuries, or operational disruptions. This is where the emergency maintenance procedures come into play.
With these protocols, companies receive the ability to recognise and address these threats promptly before they negatively impact other important aspects. One strategy to establish a risk control mechanism is to handle emergencies effectively.
Automate Your Emergency Maintenance Procedures for a Safer Work Environment
Even if emergency protocols are implemented, it would be challenging to adhere to them during a time of crisis. This is where the Tigernix Asset Management Solutions stand out, as they come with automation capacity. The asset managers only have to press one button, and this robust software will take your emergency procedures from there, sending alerts to relevant authorities, assessing the impact, mapping out the risks immediately and preparing the resources for optimal impact, etc. With Tigernix software in action, you can ensure a safer landscape for the workers, community and environment in parallel.
