[box type=”shadow” ]In recent times, the complexion of workplace has drastically changed. The disruption brought in by advancement in technology and the need to reduce real estate costs have steered the concept of alternate workplaces. Maintenance of such workplaces are equally challenging.[/box]
Diverse forms of alternate workplaces are opted by different companies to suit their needs. A few are as under…
- Smart offices defining different shifts for staff to share desks and office space
- Replacing traditional private offices with open-plan space
- Switching to concepts like ‘hoteling’, ‘satellite offices’ and ‘telecommuting’
This article will focus on conventional workplace offices also colloquially referred to as ‘Facilities’. Maintenance is one of the workplace activities that is very challenging and can affect the health and safety not only of the employees directly involved, but also other employees, if safety procedures are not followed. Maintenance activities need to be planned meticulously and executed immaculately.
Those who actually carry out maintenance work are at risk. Contractors brought in to carry out maintenance work can be particularly at risk as they may be unfamiliar with the workplace and the procedures in place for working safely. If tasks have not been assessed and adequate controls are not in place to ensure safety and maintenance is not carried out properly, it could affect others too, especially those working within a dangerous environment.
Facility management professionals face multiple issues ranging from very simple to very difficult. In addition, issues can arise unexpectedly (e.g., a newly installed STP may begin emanating foul smell), or they can be the result of a prolonged negligence of precautionary measures for a variety of reasons (e.g., key staff indisposition, incompetence of staff, etc.).
[box type=”shadow” ]Employers must make sure that those carrying out maintenance have the skills and experience to carry out the tasks they are given and are aware of what to do in situations they may be least expecting. This includes their own employees and any contractors or specialists they employ to carry out the maintenance.[/box]
One of the biggest factors an organization must take into account in facilities maintenance is facility similarity. Even though two facilities may be serving a similar, or even exactly the same purpose (e.g. BFSI), the facilities themselves are never exactly the same due to several factors, including location, staffing, size and facility age.
Some of the common challenges of workplace maintenance are:
- Deliver high quality maintenance service to ensure safety and functional efficiency of the workplace
- Reduce facility operating expenses by controlling costs
- Efficient energy management
- Increase the ROI of ageing equipment, assets and building systems
- Compliance standards management
- Facility condition assessment
Recognizing challenges is just half the battle. To meet the challenges, you need a centralized maintenance management system that reduces maintenance costs, decreases maintenance work cycle times, automates processes and streamlines operations to improve employee efficiency and productivity.
[box type=”shadow” ]Without 100% automation throughout a building, all the planning in the world will not stop careless employees from ignoring environment friendly practices, like turning off the lights when leaving a room.[/box]
Deliver high quality maintenance service to ensure safety and functional efficiency of the workplace
One way that facility managers solve this challenge is by following best practices in maintenance management. There are two main types of maintenance work:
- Routine/preventive maintenance is usually planned and includes defined set of services to be performed at a specific time to ensure the smooth operation of the asset. Regular maintenance is essential to keep premises, equipment, machines and the work environment safe and reliable. It helps to eliminate workplace hazards. Lack of maintenance or inadequate maintenance can lead to dangerous situations, accidents and health problems.
- Corrective maintenance is needed for carrying out unforeseen repairs on workplace facilities or equipment demanding reactive action to be taken to get things up and running again. This is usually more hazardous than scheduled maintenance. It is important that a planned maintenance schedule is in place and that all maintenance work is ‘risk assessed’ before beginning the task.
Maintenance work can in itself be hazardous. It can also make the workplace more susceptible while the work is being carried out. A risk assessment will be needed to identify suitable control measures to manage the maintenance work effectively. Employers must make sure that trained and experienced staff should be employed for maintenance who would add value to servicing rather than experiment on expensive equipment and cause unfair wear and tear. Some of the main challenges associated with maintenance work are:
Working at height (risk of falls or falling tools and equipment) - Gaining access to the equipment (confined spaces or harsh environments)
- Electrical hazards (shocks, burns if not isolated)
- Equipment (injuries from moving parts if not isolated)
- Exposure to…
- harmful chemicals (used in the machine being maintained)
- dust (again, through the machine being maintained)
- legionella (in water systems and air conditioners)
- noise (working on or using noisy equipment)
Effective housekeeping can eliminate some workplace hazards and help get a job done safely and properly. Poor housekeeping can frequently contribute to accidents by hiding hazards that cause injuries. Housekeeping is not just cleanliness, as it includes keeping work areas neat and orderly, maintaining halls and floors free of slip and trip hazards, and removing of waste materials (e.g., paper, cardboard) and other fire hazards from work areas. Good housekeeping is also a basic part of accident and fire prevention.
Labour and material availability plays a vital role in the success of both corrective and preventive maintenance. If any of the required labour or material is unavailable when needed, the operation of the facility is affected and in turn its operating cost. Proper tracking of labour and material inventory plays a significant role in the smooth operation and maintenance of a facility.
[box type=”shadow” ]Maintaining the assets such that they serve beyond their shelf life indirectly helps to better the ROI.[/box]
Reduce facility operating expenses by controlling costs
To help keep costs in check, regular monitoring of the maintenance budget is one the most critical activities to perform. Getting quick and easy access to cost reports can be a major challenge for facility managers. In every organization, this data often resides in so many different tools or systems that generating the reports becomes a very time consuming and difficult task for the facility manager.
Increasing the lifespan of movable and immovable assets in the workplace and properly tracking inventory are two ways to transform the FM team from a cost center to a business enhancer. Another, often overlooked way to control costs is through energy conservation. As ageing machines could become energy hogs if not properly cared for. These “electricity guzzlers” can quickly increase the monthly energy costs by a whopping 20%.
Fortunately, software solutions exist to help manage the monitoring and reporting processes. Choosing one that is part of an enterprise-wide, end-to-end solution can help facility managers improve accuracy and efficiency, monitoring, and reporting, and subsequently, reduce cost.
Efficient energy management
For any organization, buildings are the greatest consumer of energy and subsequently have a greater impact on the global climate. In today’s world, efficient energy management of existing buildings is the single biggest action every organization wants to take in order to be more sustainable.
Understanding the organization’s energy, carbon and gas inventory is essential to reducing energy usage and cost. It is also vital for reducing a facility’s carbon footprint and preparing for compliance with future regulations. Without 100% automation throughout a building, all the planning in the world will not stop careless employees from ignoring environment friendly practices, like turning off the lights when leaving a room. Technology, including automating sustainable choices can help, but strong leadership goes a long way in getting employees to respond.
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is changing the way we think about how facilities and communities are planned, constructed, operated, and maintained. LEED-certified buildings consume less water and energy, and as a result produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions. As an added bonus, such facilities save the owner money.
Increase the ROI of ageing equipment, assets and building systems
Another big challenge faced in workplace maintenance is dealing with ageing assets, equipment and infrastructure. Over time, assets and buildings age and in the process begin to affect facility operations. Of course, preventive maintenance goes a long way toward offsetting the deterioration associated with ageing infrastructure, but inevitably, assets from STPs in the basement to HVAC units on the roof will need to be repaired or replaced.
Proper inspections, warranty tracking, deficiency management, analyzing replacement costs of the equipment, budgeting, and planning for these inevitabilities helps to soften the blow, maintain safe working conditions, and ultimately keep them from draining corporate revenue. Maintaining the assets such that they serve beyond their shelf life indirectly helps to better the ROI.
Compliance standards management
Safety and quality issues exist that could potentially violate statutory laws and regulations, putting buildings and occupants at serious risk. Compliances are related to the building occupied as well as the labour force maintaining it. Facility managers need to proactively coordinate, manage, and monitor internal and external risks associated with facility regulatory compliance. Such a compliance program is needed to stay one step ahead of the ever-changing, stringent regulatory codes and regulations, and to protect an organization from calamities, fines, and penalties.
Depending upon your niche in the reliability industry, staying on top of regulatory and compliance standards can be another tough challenge. The key to accomplishing this is, devoting time to read leading industry blogs and ensuring that the maintenance staff set aside time for self-learning. This can include attending workshops and seminars or even working toward online certifications. Stay informed and one will not have to worry about this particular challenge.
[box type=”shadow” ]Effective housekeeping can eliminate some workplace hazards and help get a job done safely and properly[/box]
Facility Condition Assessment (FCA)
An FCA involves a team of one or more specialists inspecting each system in a building to understand its condition. Systems include all mechanical, electrical, plumbing and architectural elements in a building. The condition is based on any deficiencies and the remaining useful life of the system. Armed with this information, you can determine when system repairs and renewals will be required, allowing you to target the proper level of investment based upon prioritization of facilities capital plans that aligns with the organization’s mission and goals.
Facility managers are required to maintain a facility condition index (FCI) for each facility that provides an objective benchmark against which the owners and operators can monitor changes over time. Divestment of an Asset is recommended on a case by case basis utilizing the FCI rating as one of the several determining factors.
Even if the organization is not required to do an FCA, there are numerous compelling reasons to do so as enumerated below.
- Assess cost to remediate a particular facility and decide to keep or dispose
- Give a good working environment and experience to employees
- Carry out perspective planning for future and leverage volume procurement
- Benchmarking condition of eachbuilding so as to invest the right amount to meet organizational needs
Maintenance involves keeping the workplace, its structures, equipment, machines, furniture and facilities operating efficiently and safely while also making sure that their condition does not decline. It includes many tasks, including repairing, replacing, servicing, inspecting and testing. This indirectly results in keeping the staff safe, fit and healthy. It requires a systematic and deliberate approach in planning and implementation.
Employers must make sure that those carrying out maintenance have the skills and experience to carry out the tas
Director Operations-IFM & Asset Services
Cushman & Wakefield