Maintenance work planning

What is maintenance work planning?

Planning consists of determining the appropriate work methods and the human and material resources required to carry out a job efficiently and effectively.

“How to do the job, with whom, and with what.”

To plan the work properly, it is essential to go to the site to physically see the condition of the equipment where the work will be carried out. You should not rely solely on your memory or simple photos.

The planner should not hesitate to validate and clarify certain information with tradespeople, supervisors, or even operators. It is difficult to assess the risks and complexity of the work without being on site.

Work order estimation

Expected level of accuracy for estimation:

Typically, every work order that enters the backlog should have a rough estimate that reflects the general scope of the work to be done.

Later, when a work order is estimated by the planner, a precision level of around ±10–20% is normally expected.

For work orders that fall on the critical path of a planned shutdown, or for major jobs on critical equipment, extra effort must be made so that the variation between estimate and actual is no more than ±5–10%.

It is recommended to leverage the experience of skilled trades when estimating jobs.

Additional time should be included when work will be performed under special conditions (working on ladders or scaffolding, rain, snow, or ice, confined spaces, extreme temperatures, etc.).

How to plan work

Once the basic checks on the work order are complete:

• Is the equipment number correct?
• Is the job description clear?
• Is the work order coding appropriate?
• Do we have a “Standard Job” for this task?

Work planning has four main pillars:

a. People and Processes

1. Identify the required trades
2. Determine the time needed to execute the work
3. Define tasks in as much detail as possible
4. Determine coordination required with production, maintenance, and other services
5. Identify site preparation work to be done by production (e.g., cleaning, isolating equipment, lockout/tagout, etc.)
6. Identify required external specialized resources (alignment, calibration, balancing, etc.)

b. Parts and Materials

1. Identify all required parts and materials (warehouse stock, direct purchases, shop supplies, in-house fabrication, external contract services)
2. Order or withdraw required parts and materials from the storeroom
3. Track delivery status
4. Ensure everything is on hand and correct before scheduling the work

c. Tools and Documentation

1. Identify special tools and lifting devices required (slings, chains, hoists, etc.)
2. Identify and reserve required equipment (forklifts, cranes, scaffolding, etc.)
3. Identify special information requirements (tolerances for adjustments, fabrication drawings, maintenance procedures, lockout/tagout sheets, etc.)

d. Safety, Environment, and Permits

1. Develop a safe work plan
2. Identify required personal protective equipment (PPE)
3. Identify all required work permits (confined space, hot work, high voltage, etc.)
4. Define lockout/tagout procedures to apply
5. Identify environmental constraints (waste disposal, etc.)

Standard Jobs

Standard Jobs are typically used for preventive maintenance because these tasks are repetitive. They serve as a reference for preparing a work order.

They include all relevant information required to execute the work, such as: labor time and skills, job sequence, required materials, tools, drawings, procedures, permits, etc.

They are often created from a well-planned corrective job that is likely to recur and/or that involves significant specificities such as safety risks, work sequence, or environmental concerns.

Benefits of Standard Jobs:

1. Reduce planning time and effort
2. Make it easy to identify required parts and estimated time
3. Document and capture the knowledge of employees who have already performed the job
4. Support continuous improvement by revising after each use
5. Provide material for training purposes
6. Maintain consistent execution standards for critical jobs

Kitting

Kitting is a critical activity to support an effective planning process. It involves gathering all parts and materials required to execute a planned work order.

Objective:

Minimize delays and wasted time during job execution.
Clearly identified containers, paired with the corresponding work order, are used to temporarily store the parts for planned jobs.

Tips for effective kitting:

Here are some key elements to consider when deploying a kitting process:

• Deploy a planning and scheduling process that has reached a certain level of maturity first – this step is essential!
• Keep tight control over the backlog, both in content and assigned priorities.
• Work closely with the storeroom and procurement teams to delay replenishment of kitted items, especially those with low turnover and high cost.
• Develop, with operations, a work order prioritization matrix based on risk, rather than emotional priorities.
• Assign a person responsible for managing and monitoring the kitting area.
• Conduct compliance audits of the kitting process, measure results, and communicate findings.

BEFORE	AFTER
No labels	Labels
No assigned person	Dedicated kitting area owner
No responsible person	Dedicated kitting area owner

Planning and scheduling can be learned!

If you want to learn more about the advantages and benefits of maintenance planning and scheduling, and discover best practices, we invite you to register for Course 5012 – Maintenance planning and scheduling.

This 2-day training will help you strengthen your skills in this critical area. Check the course page for upcoming dates and locations.