Maintenance Assessment – a professional AS-IS assessment according to the best practices of ISO 55000, RCM, and SMRP
The Maintenance Assessment (also known as Maintenance Audit) is a comprehensive identification of the current state (AS-IS) of technical activities, preventive processes, work organization, and the use of CMMS/EAM systems.
The goal of the audit is to identify areas of risk, loss, and opportunities for improvement – so that maintenance is predictable, efficient, and supports the business goals of the facility.
Operivo combines operational experience with a strategic approach. We work according to ISO 55000 standards, RCM/RBM principles, and SMRP practices to provide a reliable and practical assessment that can be immediately implemented.
What do we check in the Maintenance Assessment?
The scope of the Maintenance Assessment can be tailored to the operational area of the Client's Maintenance Department, covering areas with the greatest potential for improvement. Below is the scope of a sample analysis of the current state of the Maintenance area:
1. Effectiveness of Prevention (PM Optimisation)
Analysis of preventive plans and schedules, their compliance with equipment criticality, actual failure rates, and resource availability. We assess which PM activities are effective and which incur costs without value.
2. Failure Rate Analysis (KPIs, RCA)
Review of key reliability indicators, identification of devices with the highest risk and greatest impact on production, analysis of root causes (RCA), and quality of failure data.
3. Asset Criticality Assessment
Assessment of the criticality of machines and production lines in terms of safety risk, production risk, quality risk, environmental risk, and financial risk.
4. Management of Spare Parts (MRO) and Machine Obsolescence
We verify the availability of parts, inventory levels, obsolescence risks, alternatives for unavailable components, and MRO/Obsolescence management strategies.
5. Work Planning and Scheduling (Planning & Scheduling Audit)
We assess the planning process, resource availability, flow of requests, backlog management, and the level of work completion according to the plan.
6. Use of CMMS/EAM (SAP PM, Maximo, API Pro, and others)
Analysis of data quality, system configuration, workflow, failure codes, maintenance history, and asset structure.
The audit also includes an assessment of the effectiveness of system use by technicians and engineers.
7. Management of Technical Changes and Operational Safety
Verification of LOTO, PTW procedures, operational procedures, technical documentation, and compliance with good operational practices.
What the Client receives
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A look at your organization from the perspective of best practices in the market.
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Audit report including:
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Result of AS-IS analysis in individual categories
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Recommendations for actions
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Proposals for improvement projects in Maintenance (Quick-wins, medium-term, long-term)
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Summary workshop
Assessment methodology
Step 1 - Identifying needs and goals
Step 2 - Gathering basic data on Maintenance and Asset Management
Step 3 - Walkdown / Gemba - visit to production/operations areas
Step 4 - Interviews with employees
Step 5 - Review of CMMS/EAM data
Step 6 - Review of maintenance activities - preventive plans, TPM, RCM/RBM
Step 7 - Obsolescence Management Assessment (optional)
Step 8 - Development of the report and identification of improvement projects
Step 9 - Presentation of results along with a mini-planning workshop
Most common issues detected in Maintenance Assessments
01. Lack of connection between prevention and criticality
PM plans are executed "automatically", without considering risks and the impact of equipment on production.
02. Low data quality in CMMS
Lack of precise failure codes, incomplete reports, incorrect asset structure, or unfilled technical fields.
03. Excessive share of reactive repairs
The maintenance department operates in a firefighting mode, leading to increased downtimes and reduced machine availability.
04. Inadequate spare parts inventory
Lack of critical components or, conversely, excessive stock levels without obsolescence control.
05. Poor quality and timeliness of technical documentation
Instructions, diagrams, or procedures are outdated, hard to find, or unused.
06. Lack of effective planning and scheduling
The backlog is growing, and preventive work is often postponed or performed irregularly.
07. Lack of consistent reliability indicators
Uptime, MTTR, failure rates, PM/TM are not monitored or do not inform operational decisions.
08. Ineffective communication between Maintenance and Production
Lack of shared priorities, inconsistent failure categorization, difficulties accessing machines.
09. Lack of a Maintenance dept. development roadmap
The maintenance department operates without a clearly defined direction, goals, and metrics.
10. Lack of consistent operational procedures and technical changes
LOTO, PTW, or technical change procedures are applied selectively, increasing operational risk.
FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions about Maintenance Audit
What benefits does an audit bring?
An assessment allows for the identification of areas that require improvement, which, provided that appropriate actions are taken, can influence the increase in process efficiency, enhance safety, and optimize operational costs. By identifying areas for improvement, the organization can implement changes that contribute to better resource management, ultimately affecting the performance of the entire production facility and its profitability.
Simply conducting a Maintenance Assessment and identifying problems usually does not yield benefits until the recommended actions are implemented.
How does the audit affect costs?
An audit can help identify areas for improvement, which in the long run may lead to reduced operational costs. This allows the company to better manage its resources and also increase operational efficiency, resulting in savings over time.
Does the audit include an analysis of the CMMS?
Yes, the audit typically involves analyzing the use of the CMMS system to assess the effectiveness of maintenance management. This analysis allows for the identification of the system's strengths and weaknesses and for the implementation of potential improvements, which can contribute to better management of maintenance processes in the facility.
Does the audit stop production?
The Maintenance Assessment does not affect production. The aim of the audit is to gather information and assess processes without impacting the daily operations of the plant. In extreme cases - for example, the need to meet with a key production employee may result in their unavailability for 20 minutes to 1 hour.
What is the role of the Client during the audit?
The Client is primarily expected to be open to responding to sometimes difficult questions. The Client should provide access to documentation such as: organizational structure, scopes of responsibility, procedures, and processes related to Asset Management and Maintenance. For the purpose of conducting interviews, it is advisable to reserve a space for informal conversation, e.g. a conference room.
How long does a maintenance assessment take?
A maintenance assessment typically lasts from a few days to several weeks, depending on the scale and complexity of the organization. The duration of the assessment may vary based on the specifics of the processes and the availability of documentation and data necessary for conducting a thorough analysis. Usually, for individual locations with a maintenance department consisting of about 20-50 people, it takes 2-3 days of on-site presence.
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