Corrective Maintenance

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Preventive Maintenance

Preventive maintenance (PM) is a proactive maintenance strategy in which assets are serviced at predetermined time or usage intervals to reduce the likelihood of failure. Tasks may include inspections, lubrication, filter changes, calibrations, and component replacements. PM schedules are typically based on manufacturer recommendations, regulatory requirements, or historical failure data.

Work Order

A work order is a formal document or digital record that authorises and tracks a specific maintenance task. It typically includes the asset identification, description of work required, priority, assigned technician, parts needed, safety requirements, and completion details. Work orders provide a structured workflow from request through approval, execution, and closeout.

Downtime

Downtime is any period during which an asset is unavailable for its intended function. It can be planned (scheduled maintenance, shutdowns, inspections) or unplanned (breakdowns, failures, waiting for parts). Downtime is typically measured in hours and expressed as a percentage of total available time, providing a key indicator of asset availability.

Run-to-Failure Maintenance

Run-to-failure (RTF) is a deliberate maintenance strategy in which an asset is operated until it fails, at which point corrective maintenance is performed or the asset is replaced. It is a legitimate approach for non-critical, low-cost, or easily replaceable items where the cost of preventive maintenance exceeds the cost of failure. RTF should not be confused with neglect; it is an intentional decision based on risk and cost analysis.

Mean Time to Repair (MTTR)

Mean Time to Repair (MTTR) measures the average time required to diagnose and fix a failed asset and return it to operational status. It includes diagnosis, sourcing parts, performing the repair, testing, and return to service, and is calculated by dividing the total repair time across all failures by the number of failure events in a given period. MTTR is a key input to availability calculations and is often tracked alongside Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) to give a complete picture of asset reliability and maintainability. Some organisations distinguish between Mean Time to Repair (active repair time only) and Mean Time to Restore, also called Mean Time to Recover (the full elapsed time including waiting for parts, travel and administrative delays), as the broader measure often reveals improvement opportunities beyond wrench-time efficiency.

Deferred Maintenance

Deferred maintenance is maintenance work that has been identified as necessary but intentionally postponed to a later date due to budget constraints, resource limitations, or competing priorities. It differs from neglect in that the decision to defer is documented and the associated risks are acknowledged. Deferred maintenance creates a backlog that grows over time if not actively managed, and the cost of remediation typically increases the longer work is postponed.

Reactive Maintenance

Reactive maintenance is maintenance work performed only after an asset has failed or broken down. It is the default approach in organisations without a structured maintenance programme, where equipment runs until something goes wrong and then a repair is arranged. Reactive maintenance may be deliberate (run-to-failure for non-critical items) or unplanned (breakdowns on assets that should have received preventive care).