What it means
A computerized maintenance management system holds a list of assets, such as trucks, tugs, lifts and machines, and the maintenance each one needs. It creates work orders, assigns them, and records what was done and what parts were used.
Inspections and maintenance connect. A failed pre-use check on a lift is a repair request. The CMMS is where that request becomes a work order and gets closed. Without the link, defects sit in a pile of paper or a text thread.
Ask how a defect found by an operator gets into the system, whether the operator can see the repair status, and whether the CMMS can take data from your inspection tool. Many sites connect the two.
Why it matters
Equipment that's well kept is safer and down less. A CMMS shows what's due, what's late and what keeps breaking. It also shows the operator that a reported defect was fixed, which is why they keep reporting.
What it looks like on a site
- An operator's failed check opens a work order for the shop.
- The shop schedules preventive maintenance by hours, miles or dates, as the maker advises.
- A tech records the repair, the parts and the time, and closes the order.
- The unit's history shows repeat problems.
- A lead can see which assets are down and which are overdue.
This is general information, not legal advice. Check the current rule and your own procedures. Back to the glossary