What type of maintenance checks can you make on your facility on a monthly/annual basis? Should you do a thorough one after a certain amount of time?
By Jeff Eriks
Every facility owner has different requirements to keep in mind from a review and inspection perspective. These actions are important to protecting facilities and helping keep your workforce safe. Many of these items can help to catch maintenance items that are relatively cheap to address, but can become very costly if left un-addressed. In this article we will cover a few of the key items to keep in mind, no matter what kind of facility you own.
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Life/Safety
The life/safety systems are the most important systems within a building since they help keep employees safe during their time onsite. This includes:
• Fire Sprinkler Systems must be inspected every year by a certified professional to verify that they are functioning properly. In dry-pipe systems, the drip legs need to be drained at least monthly.
• Strobe Lights and Exit Signage should be tested each year to ensure that they are working properly as well.
• Emergency Lighting, Night Lights and Such should be checked each year. Bulbs need to be replaced as well as batteries. Some facilities have gas detection for various sources such as methane, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, natural gas and many other items based on use of the facility. These sensors should be tested to ensure that they are functioning properly.
• Fire Alarm Systems are a key component to most buildings and should be checked annually. This system is typically tied into the local fire department and notifies them of any issues. Each sensor should be checked on an annual basis and any faulty ones should be replaced.
• Elevator Inspections should be done annually. Most states require annual inspection and certifications kept on file within the building itself.
Other life/safety systems to be maintained and inspected on a regular basis are eye wash units, strobes, backup lights, gas detection, etc.
Heating and Cooling Systems
There are several different types of systems on the market and all have their own maintenance and upkeep requirements. I recommend that a local HVAC professional is retained to do semi-annual maintenance on all units, which would include changing filters, checking Freon, checking gas connections, power connections, overall service maintenance and all the items that the manufacturer recommends. Most owners do not have someone onsite that is able to do all of the maintenance required to prolong the useful life of the equipment. As part of the HVAC system, the condensate lines should be checked because if they get clogged it will cause performance issues for the furnace and even cause it to shut down and not function at all.
Ventilation
Ventilation systems are important for buildings to be able to “breathe” and the HVAC systems to function properly. Each building type varies on how these are incorporated into the overall design, but as part of the heating and cooling annual maintenance, I recommend that you have a firm also check your ventilation systems to ensure that they are functioning as they are supposed to. When the entire system is functioning properly, you can also expect it to run more efficiently.
Electrical
GFCI outlets need to be checked in order to ensure safe operation. A simple walk around to test them all to see that they trip properly. If they do not trip properly, replace them.
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Plumbing
Floor drains are prone to drying up and, even though they have a P-trap, will allow sewer gas to get in when water is not in the P-trap. At least twice per year, check all drains to make sure there is water in them. Other plumbing components to inspect are:
• Miscellaneous Water Connections (sinks, faucets, etc.). Owners should have someone walk around the building and check for leaks at plumbing connections. Also, in the fall, the exterior should be inspected to make sure nothing is connected to a hose bibb, which could cause freezing and bursting of plumbing lines.
• Lift Stations should be serviced at least once a year. This entails pulling the pump and checking for obstructions to ensure the pit is clean and the outflow is not blocked.
• Sand/Oil Separators typically need to get cleaned once a month so they can function properly and keep the sewers protected from any liquids or solids from leaving the site.
• Backflow Preventers for domestic and irrigation systems typically need a yearly inspection and certification. A lot of municipalities now require this, or risk being fined.
Exterior of Building
The outside or “shell” of the building is integral for maintaining the health of the facility itself. Buildings are designed to “breathe”, and annual maintenance is typically required to help keep the building healthy and functioning as it is intended. Also, you need to avoid water infiltration at all costs to prevent future issues. Here are a few items you need to consider with your facility:
• Exterior Caulking/Windows/Doors should all be checked annually to make sure that the caulking is not dried up, dry rotted or failing. The building envelope should remain impenetrable to water and the only way to do that is to ensure that windows and doors are working as they are intended to.
• Door Jambs. As buildings start to settle, the doors and frames sometimes shift and get out of square. Minor adjustments are typical of many doors and frames over time. If these adjustments are not made, it can cause the doors to not operate properly, latch or allow water in.
• The Roof should be inspected annually as part of the warranty process. The seams (on a flat roof or a screw down/standing seam) need to be inspected to ensure they are not failing and checking all penetrations for caulking/sealant. Also inspect any skylights that may be in the facility. Oftentimes roof warranties require some type of annual maintenance or inspection.
• Concrete Slab and Wall. Walking around a site and building and completing a visual inspection is really all that is needed here. What should be looked for are changes from year to year in the appearance of the concrete. New cracks wider than ¼”, heaving, movement of any type, ponding that did not use to be there, etc. may be signs of subgrade issues. In cold climates, sealing cracks, when they appear, can help minimize the weathering effects of freeze/frost. If you have vertical concrete walls, pre-cast or cast-in-place, you should also visually inspect them for damage as well. This often occurs when the buildings are used for heavy commercial or industrial applications and large pieces of equipment work inside or outside of it.
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Site Related Items
While every site is different, all sites have some sort of exterior maintenance that must occur regularly. Below are a few items that can fall in that category:
• Truck Plugs in cold climates should be inspected each fall and tested. These are essential in cold weather climates for diesel vehicles and if they stop working during winter, trucks will not start.
• Site Lights should be checked to make sure that they are all functioning in the fall. Winter days are short and nights are long so proper light onsite is a must.
• Scale Service and Certification for any facility that has one is a must. Most states Department of Weights & Measures require annual testing and certification. In addition, if a facility operates a pit scale, the pit should be inspected and cleaned quarterly to ensure the drains flow freely and do not back up and short out the load cells.
• Site Catch Basins and Drain Lines should be rodded annually to ensure clean flowing water. Some of these may have baskets in them to catch items before they enter the storm sewer. These should be checked and cleaned or replaced, depending on their condition and local storm water requirements.
Long-Term Health
Every building requires maintenance and it is important for the long-term health of the building that maintenance is completed as required. Having a list of those critical inspections is important to ensuring the building and staff are protected. Buildings are no different than cars in the respect that they require routine maintenance to keep it functioning, keep it efficient and to improve the longevity of the structure.
Jeff Eriks is Vice President of Business Development and Marketing at Cambridge Companies (Griffith, IN), a design-build firm working with the waste industry for more than 20 years. During this time, more than 100 solid waste design-build projects have been completed including new build, repairs, upgrades and/or modifications at transfer stations, recycling centers/MRFs, hauling companies, landfill facilities, office buildings and more. Jeff can be reached at (219) 972-1155 or via e-mail at [email protected].