Why are equipment maintenance records important?
Equipment maintenance logs/records are recorded histories on all the actions that have been taken on your equipment. Keeping track of the condition of your equipment helps you keep your fleet at optimum working condition and minimises the risk of unscheduled downtime or unavailability of your equipment. They make sure you can spot the little problems, so they don’t turn into bigger ones.
Top 3 advantages of keeping equipment maintenance records
#1 - They save you money on repairs, warranty and resale
By keeping equipment maintenance records, you keep track of small defects to your equipment so you can bring them in for smaller – and less expensive – repairs. By keeping track of the repairs and the proof that your machine hasn’t sustained any damage that breaks your warranty, the company you bought it from has to abide by the contract as well and hand over the cash if it breaks. And an equipment maintenance log that shows your machine is in tip-top shape increases the resale value of the machine… because, well, it’s in tip-top shape!
#2 - They help you manage each machine
Since all your machine babies are special in their own way, they all need a slightly different maintenance regimen. It might take you some time to see that, or it might take you one look at the patterns in your maintenance log to notice what usually comes up at checkups. Revising your equipment maintenance log is a quick and handy way to developing a specialised maintenance program for each of your prized machines.
#3 - They keep your operators safe and responsible
The math is simple on this one. Equipment maintenance logs = less faulty machines = less operator scares. A faulty machine is going to affect your operator straight away, so you want to keep them in shape to keep your operator safe. Equally, you keep your machine safe from irresponsible operators. If they know the damage they inflict on the machine is going to be recorded, they’re all going to work to keep it healthy.
How do you keep track of equipment maintenance?
As well as keeping receipts and warranty papers of all your machines, you should be keeping an equipment maintenance log. Your equipment log should include two sections for each machine: general information and a list of maintenance actions. General information includes: the name of the equipment, model or manufacturer, serial number, location, and the person responsible for the equipment. Your list of maintenance actions should include the date the action was taken, description of the action and the name of the person who took it. You can also include a ‘remarks’ section for the person maintaining the equipment to write notes for future reference.
How long do you keep maintenance records?
Keep your equipment maintenance records for as long as you have the equipment and it continues to pass inspections. All the information will be relevant when you use the warranty, enforce your specialised maintenance program, or re-sell the equipment.