chapter

14
Maintenance
 Maintenance as a Management
Function
• Maintenance as a management function can
be a critical contributor to facility utilization.
• If not performed properly and in a timely
fashion, it can have a negative impact on
the core product and core product
extensions.
• Maintenance includes any function
associated with keeping facilities and
equipment in proper, safe, and functional
condition.
 Maintenance Terms
• Terms associated with maintenance
activities include:
– Clean
– Replace
– Repair
– Prevent
– Protect
– Preserve
– Fix
– Change over
– Set up
 Importance of Maintenance

• In some agencies, maintenance functions

are mistakenly regarded as a secondary
responsibility that can be taken for granted
and not given proper attention from
management.
• Poor maintenance practices can have a
negative effect on user satisfaction and
product delivery.
• User safety can be compromised due to
lack of appropriate maintenance practices.
Maintenance as an Indirect Function
• In most instances, maintenance is an indirect
function because maintenance workers seldom
come in contact with users.
• Recreation facility managers often intentionally
schedule maintenance functions for times when the
facility is not being used.
• Scheduling maintenance functions during these
times is critical for the efficient and effective
completion of maintenance tasks so as not to
interfere with administrative and delivery
operations.
 Maintenance Leadership
• It is important for maintenance leadership to
understand facility usage, including what activities
it involves, volume of users expected, preparation
efforts, and consequences, so that they can realize
how their role and decisions will affect utilization.
• If maintenance is required when a facility is in use,
then time and effort should be devoted to making
sure that maintenance tasks do not negatively
affect usage, keeping inconveniences to a
minimum.
 Facility Image

• The end result of the maintenance function

will influence users’ perceptions of the
facility.
• Their impression of a facility may include a
sense of comfort and belonging or a sense
of uncertainty or discomfort.
• Recreation facilities that are not clean, are
unsanitary, have broken equipment, or other
poor maintenance practices can drive users
away.
 Safety

• Safety is an important end result of good

maintenance.
• Maintenance staff should conduct regular
checks of smoke alarms, security alarms,
emergency lighting, and other safety
mechanisms in a facility.
• Maintenance staff’s role in protecting users
and employees is invaluable in keeping a
facility free from unsafe conditions and
serious emergencies.
 Maintenance Categories

• Each facility and its areas and equipment

can vary greatly with many challenging
maintenance tasks.
• Maintenance can be broadly categorized
into:
– Building maintenance
– Grounds maintenance
– Equipment maintenance
 Building Maintenance

• Building maintenance involves indoor facilities or

structures, including rooms, corridors, stairwells,
lobbies, lounges, and offices that need to be kept
clean, functional, and safe.
• Some specific building maintenance tasks include
– Sweeping
– Mopping
– Picking up trash
– Window washing
– Watering plants
(continued)
 Building Maintenance (continued)

• Additional building maintenance tasks

include:
– Dusting
– Vacuuming
– Deep cleaning carpets
– Changing lights
– Repairing windows and doors
– Plumbing
– Performing electrical or mechanical repair
 Grounds Maintenance

• Grounds maintenance is often the first thing

users see and thus it affects their first
impression of a facility and its curb appeal.
• This maintenance category incorporates all
the necessary activities associated with
keeping the outdoor areas attractive,
functional, and safe.

(continued)
 Grounds Maintenance (continued)
• Grounds maintenance tasks include:
– Snow removal
– Leaf removal
– Tree pruning
– Watering
– Fertilizing, weed control, pest control, disease
control
– Grass mowing
– Trash removal
– Shrub trimming
– Grooming of infield surfaces
 Equipment Maintenance

• Equipment maintenance refers to items and

mechanical systems that support a facility or help
to make the product efficient and functional.
• It can include maintenance equipment and any
equipment that fulfills product delivery.
• It can also include technical equipment for the
efficiency support systems that provide comfort to
users and employees as well as assistance with
product delivery.

(continued)
Equipment Maintenance (continued)

• Examples of maintenance in this category

include:
– Repairing machines
– Replacing parts
– Cleaning
– Rotating and replacing tires
– Sharpening tools
– Servicing HVAC equipment
 Maintenance Types

• In addition to the previous categories of

maintenance, there are two general types of
maintenance: routine and non-routine.
• These two categories help to explain how
tasks in each category may be described
and organized.
 Routine Maintenance

• Routine maintenance is ongoing

maintenance that represents efforts by
management keep facilities and equipment
in proper condition from day to day or even
hour to hour.
• There is a dependence on routine daily
maintenance tasks to keep the production
environment and equipment in its proper
functioning state.
 Non-routine Maintenance

• There are many circumstances where non-routine

activities require maintenance attention, including
projects and unforeseen, preventive, and cyclical
maintenance.
• Non-routine maintenance usually requires extra
attention, especially as it relates to the coordination
and scheduling of work that is needed.
• When these situations develop, a system is
initiated that recognizes a need and then issues a
response to take care of it.
Non-routine Maintenance - Projects

• From time to time, facilities and equipment

require work resulting from damage,
breakdown, or failure.
• This work, often called a project, may
require planning and design.
• Non-routine maintenance projects could
include repair, renovation, or refurbishing of
flooring, walls, turf, or equipment.
 Non-routine Maintenance
Unforeseen Maintenance
• Often, non-routine maintenance tasks fall
under the category of unforeseen
maintenance.
• Frequently they are the direct result of wear
and tear due to facility and equipment
usage.
• Examples include locks not functioning,
vehicles not starting, broken windows or
water damage.
(continued)
 Non-routine Maintenance
Unforeseen Maintenance (continued)

• Unforeseen emergency maintenance could

include:
– Trees falling over power lines
– Water leaks that affect delivery operations
– Toilet overflow
– Electricity or light failure
 Preventive Maintenance

• Preventive maintenance is applied in

anticipation of what needs to be done to
protect areas and equipment from wearing
out, failing to operate, or breaking down.
• This non-routine practice is usually
planned, but it is most often results from a
judgment based on the level of use and
wear of areas or equipment.
(continued)
Preventive Maintenance (continued)
• When managed properly, preventive maintenance
can decrease or even prevent area and equipment
problems and possible hazards.
• Some examples of preventive maintenance include:
– Changing oil and rotating tires on vehicles or maintenance
equipment
– Pruning trees
– Controlling insects and pests
– Refurbishing floors
– Painting surfaces
– Repairing cracks in concrete
and asphalt surfaces
 Cyclical Maintenance

• Cyclical maintenance can be defined as a

non-routine application that is initiated as
needed and performed with a complete set
of tasks designed to restore an area or
piece of equipment to its desired state.
• Although cyclical maintenance is performed
on a schedule, it occurs infrequently and is
not considered routine maintenance.
(continued)
 Cyclical Maintenance (continued)

• Cyclical maintenance incorporates several

steps in order to complete a full process or
cycle.
• Examples of cyclical practices include
maintaining turf areas, which requires soil
preparation, seeding, fertilizer, watering,
mowing, and aerating.
 Maintenance Systems

• Recreation facility managers should ensure

that a maintenance system is in place that
attends to all non-routine developments
before they negatively influence operations.
• Maintenance systems should be created in
the most effective way possible and should
include planning, work orders, and work
assignments.
 Maintenance Units

• A unit is a component of the maintenance

division that responds to agency-generated
work requests.
• It has the benefit of being familiar with
agency facilities, grounds, and equipment
and their respective maintenance needs.
• A unit could be a complete area or building
with a crew that is responsible for all
maintenance operations within that area.
 Specialized Crews

• Specialized crews consist of people who are

trained to have specific skills.
• Examples of specialized crews include tree
surgeons, mechanics, carpenters,
locksmiths, plumbers and electricians.
• Because of their experience or certification,
they are considered experts and their work
is expected to be of the highest quality.
 Outside Contractors

• Recreation facility staff may not have the

expertise to perform some facility
maintenance needs.
• When this occurs, arrangements can be
made with outside contractors to perform
the work.
• These arrangements should always be
completed through a formal arrangement.
Other Maintenance Considerations
• In addition to the basic categories of
maintenance, management must also
account for:
– Supervising maintenance activities
– Keeping maintenance records
– Establishing maintenance manuals
– Housing maintenance shops and storage facilities
– Inspecting maintenance work
– Maintaining efficiency systems
 Assignment
1. Describe the concept of asset
management.
2. Give an example of a grounds maintenance
task.
3. Give an example of a preventative
maintenance practice.
4. Give an example of a cyclical maintenance
practice.
5. How are maintenance tasks assigned at
the facility? (What process is used?)