An operations and maintenance program (also known as an O&M) is a combination of general maintenance, management, training, budgeting, and business processes that are used collectively for the proper functioning of a facility. It encompasses the maintenance and care of assets that do not require in-depth technical knowledge of how that asset functions.
Work that must be performed by a highly-skilled engineer or technician with specific knowledge of the equipment’s inner workings and design would fall under corrective or reactive maintenance. Operations and maintenance management is more general and is a form of preventive maintenance. Operations and maintenance usually includes tasks to maintain equipment before significant issues arise, such as inspections, cleaning, minor part replacement, lubrication, and fluid monitoring.
An example of a general operations and maintenance task is performing oil changes on a vehicle fleet. This can be performed by technicians with a wide range of skill levels. Something more complex, like a transmission replacement, would likely need to be assigned to a more knowledgeable technician. Also, it would not be performed regularly, so it would likely fall under a different maintenance category.
Using a computerized maintenance management system to manage maintenance operations is a best practice when executing an operations and maintenance plan. There are five areas in particular where using a CMMS would be significantly beneficial:
Leverage the cloud to work together, better in the new connected age of maintenance and asset management.