5 Top Tips for Preventive Maintenance in Commercial Properties
Preventative maintenance is pivotal in helping prevent significant maintenance issues within your facility. Merely addressing cleaning and repairs when issues arise can expose your facility to increased maintenance expenses and reduced productivity. Relying on reactive approaches forces your team to divert their efforts from regular duties to problem-solving. Establishing a robust, well-structured plan is important to give your cleaning team the confidence and tools to maintain the facility effectively.
Below are important preventative measures you can implement in your facility.
1. Create a Routine Maintenance Schedule
Developing and implementing a regular maintenance schedule is important when creating a preventative maintenance plan. This plan should be a structured checklist that gives your cleaning team a clear grasp of their daily responsibilities, leaving no part of your facility neglected. The checklist should include information on how long each task will take and overall cleaning objectives. Your team can check the list to understand what tasks they need to complete that day and how long each task will take. This is beneficial because it provides clear guidance on deciding and allocating tasks to achieve the goals.
2. Create a Set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
In addition to the maintenance schedule, there needs to be a document of the facility’s standard operating procedures. These procedures should include specific instructions on how your team should perform cleaning tasks. SOPs should include comprehensive instructions for important procedures such as safely handling hazards, tools and chemicals.
Rather than relying on a paper document, consider creating a digital file to ensure swift and convenient access for all facility personnel during emergencies. This digital document serves as a preventative measure, ensuring everyone adheres to the correct procedures when confronted with maintenance situations.
3. Implement Training for Your Cleaning Staff
More than 60% of employees say they would perform their tasks better with more training. Introducing routine training sessions for your facility staff can help give them confidence they are well-equipped to carry out their assigned tasks effectively. These training sessions encompass the latest protocols, facility developments, and instruction on using new equipment and chemicals. Additionally, it provides an excellent opportunity to revisit existing procedures, ensuring the rules stay top-of-mind for everyone.
4. Use Outsourced Cleaning Services
Maintaining a consistently clean facility is a complex endeavor. If you manage multiple properties or have a substantial space, it can become overwhelming for your in-house cleaning team to address all the extensive needs. Consider delegating some of the more challenging and time-consuming tasks to external providers to help alleviate the workload on your internal team. This team can help contribute to your overall maintenance goals.
5. Be Proactive, Not Reactive
Incorporating proactive maintenance practices into your facility has many benefits. Being proactive instead of reactive equips your team with readiness for any maintenance challenges that may arise. A well-defined cleaning plan with a checklist can help enhance your team’s clarity regarding their responsibilities. Enlisting the services of an external team can offer valuable support in managing more demoing maintenance tasks, enabling your current team to optimize their time allocation.
