Maintenance, Mechanical Integrity, and OSHA

Equipment maintenance methods and philosophies continue to evolve. What has taken many by surprise is the rate of change and the sense of urgency that now surrounds issues related to Mechanical Integrity (MI) in the field of maintenance management. Competitive pressures from the global marketplace, insurance driven risk management programs, and new Federal OSHA and EPA standards have all added weight to the importance of developing proactive MI programs.

Each facility is different and there is no "one size fits all" or universal philosophy to provide guidance. We have learned over the years that successful maintenance programs contain six basic support systems which are essential for developing a sustained program. These maintenance support systems focus on the ability to obtain, analyze and utilize data and procedures related to the mechanical integrity of operating plant equipment. These include: