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By: Dave Army at Strategic
Asset Management Inc.
Editors note:
This is the third article in a series of articles by
Dave Army and Ralph Hedding.
Click
here to read Part 1: The
Identification of Work.
Click
here to read Part 2: Prioritization
Click
here to read Part 4: Look Ahead Scheduling
Click
here to read Part 5: Materials Management
Click
here to read Part 6: Preventive Maintenance
In the rush to get work done we often
forget activities that we know we should deal with. I flash back to
the good old days when we would receive Work Requests to block off
vents, repair insulation, repair heating fans, etc. Of course it was
during the winter months, and Preventive Maintenance tasks designed to
deal with winterization issues had been sadly deferred so that we
could deal with more important issues, usually reactive maintenance
items that took on a higher priority. Not that we didn’t have good
intentions, it just seemed that we could never find the time.
As I grow older, I find that if I don’t
write a commitment down on my calendar, I have a tendency to schedule
two or more activities at the same time. Long sad experience has shown
me that I’d better pencil in those days I earmarked for vacation, or
those special events that mean a lot to loved ones. My calendar serves
as my long-range plan. I don’t bother to pencil in those things that
have become routine, but everything that occurs monthly or greater has
found a place on my schedule. Is this be-cause I have a poor memory
(some would say yes)? The real answer is no, but if not highlighted, I
run the real possibility of a scheduling conflict and unnecessary
turmoil in my life.
We can apply these techniques to our
lives as maintenance professionals. In any work environment, there are
activities that lend themselves to long range planning. These fall
into four categories: known major events; preventive maintenance
activities; regulatory requirements; and resource constraints.
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