Gaps in equipment maintenance could cause future problems
While lockdown provisions have loosened since 2020, in some respects we continue to live in a lockdown world. Since the discovery of the Omicron variant, workplace safety has taken on renewed importance. This is so much the case that the Health and Safety Executive has advised that anyone who has the ability to work from home should work from home. This is a legal requirement in Scotland – a regulation that is set to remain in place until the middle of this month.
Lockdown has had many effects on routine facilities maintenance in businesses around England. At the height of lockdown, only essential maintenance could be conducted. This means much equipment maintenance fell by the wayside. In some cases, this has caused gaps in vital equipment maintenance that remain unaddressed.
As a result of maintenance schedule disruptions, equipment breakdowns are being observed. In the case of refrigeration, for example, many systems remained operational even when no-one came to work. These machines should have been subject to the same maintenance schedules, but they were not and so equipment is failing as a result of routine – and avoidable – wear and tear.
Quick Thinking Post-Lockdown Facilities Maintenance Advice
Get Professional Maintenance Advice
Whether machinery has been running or not while operations have been shut down, find out from an FM professional about what the next steps are for your machines’ maintenance. It may be that vital maintenance has been missed and needs to be addressed urgently. Alternatively, long periods of inoperability could be cause for changes to existing maintenance plans.
Be Aware Of Potential Administrative Glitches
Between short-staffing or work-from-home realities, COVID can mean the odd glitch here and there. Make sure maintenance isn’t overlooked by these work challenges.
Keep Updated On Regulatory Updates
It is prudent to keep an eye on the government’s regulations and guidelines around COVID to ensure you are taking the required measures for a safe workplace. For example, the guidelines around good ventilation in the workplace underscore the importance of functioning, well-maintained HVAC systems in the work environment to prevent transmission of the virus. Unquestionably, the simplest way to keep abreast of compliance changes is to work with facilities maintenance specialists like Voltix Services.
As Sections Re-Open, Assess Their Fm Needs
Maybe your operations have not yet opened in full to cater for work-from-home staff or for COVID management purposes. Maybe you’re moving into new office or workspace that’s been unoccupied following COVID. Whatever the case may be, if your business is reopening in stages or in long unoccupied spaces, give some thought to the maintenance required for workplace safety and worker comfort, health and wellbeing.
Is there machinery that needs attending to? What is the state of heating and cooling? Have you given some thought to legionella in bathrooms and water coolers where water has been stagnant for some time? If you have any worries around reopening safely, work with a facilities maintenance specialist, who will provide you with a facilities maintenance checklist that covers all the bases.
Get the Low Down on Lockdown Maintenance from Voltix Services
No matter your maintenance needs, the maintenance specialists at Voltix Services have the experience and expertise to provide expert maintenance services in partnership with your business. We offer installation, preventative and reactive maintenance services to assist your business in smooth operations in a post-lockdown world. Contact Voltix Services today for more on how we can help your business.