by Arne Oas

Work orders are getting lost in the system. Work isn’t accomplished or completed. The backlog is growing and out of control.

Sound familiar?

To reduce overall maintenance cost and improve work order execution, it’s necessary for maintenance supervision to learn how to schedule the workload. Proper scheduling requires the establishment and control of a maintenance backlog.

Within the maintenance work order system, when a person notes a problem or wants work done, it goes into the maintenance system as a Work Request and is assigned a work order number. Requests are reviewed for approval and either expedited, if an emergency, or held for scheduling, if a non-emergency. Approved, non-emergency requests need work requirements developed, so the work is moved to a planning queue. Once planned, the queued work becomes the backlog. This is then the record of requested jobs approved to be worked on. They are planned but not yet scheduled.

The backlog is the heart of efficient workforce utilization because it’s the primary means used in balancing requested or required work with the available workforce. The correct allocation of personnel to required work areas is essential if prompt response and proper management of maintenance resources is to occur.

Use priorities within the work order system, availability of parts and personnel, and equipment criticality to determine when and which work will be performed.

Backlog size is also critical to perform effective scheduling. Too small of a backlog does not provide enough of a work cushion to allow for smooth scheduling; it can cause personnel transfers or layoffs. Too large of an equipment backlog may give the requester a feeling that the work never will be done (that’s usually true). Therefore, the scheduling team must monitor the backlog size by total hours of estimated work divided by total available weekly labor hours. For most facilities, strive for a backlog greater than two weeks but less than five weeks. If backlogged work is outside these limits (longer than five weeks), consider solutions such as contract work, overtime or job cancellation. Re-evaluate any job (and priority) in the backlog for more than one year.

Proper control and scheduling of this work order backlog is fundamental to successful maintenance operations. To assist in this control, develop a Backlog Report. The report should contain the work order number, the equipment (location) identifier, equipment (location) name, Relative Importance Factor (RIF), a brief description of the problem or work to be performed, type or skill of the personnel required to complete the work, the time required to complete the work and the work order status (in planning, awaiting parts, ready, open).

Print and distribute a copy of the report weekly to the planning and scheduling team. This team should consist of production (operations) and maintenance personnel. Individual team members should review the backlog (both PM and repair) and determine if unusual parts or special scheduling is needed to complete the work. They should note these requirements on the report. The entire team should review the backlog weekly in a group setting. The individuals who actually schedule performance of the work on a master report should note combined information about equipment availability and special parts orders.

A sample agenda for the meeting is as follows:
A) Planning issues (10 minutes)

B) Backlog status review (5 minutes)
- Number of total jobs
- Jobs waiting on planning
- Jobs waiting on parts
- Jobs ready to schedule

C) Priority issues (15 minutes)

D) Backlog size and required action (10 minutes)

E) Review work status (15 minutes)

F) Review shutdown schedule (10 minutes)

In the meeting, remember that work should only be scheduled if the parts, manpower and equipment are available. Also, utilize some kind of an importance evaluation scale to schedule the work.

After the meeting, assign someone to schedule jobs for either people or crews. Start scheduling by dividing the work among the people/crews available for the following week. Base this assignment on the work shown, the equipment or location, the access required for the work and the knowledge of personnel/crew capabilities. Note any special instructions on the individual work order (parts, times, scheduling constraints, etc.). After completely assigning the work, review the workload for each person or crew to ensure they aren’t overloaded and that there is proper distribution.

For a helpful hint, many find it easier to write down the amount of hours usually scheduled for an individual. Some people will get more planned work because of their ability or skill level, while others can expect less planned work because they may be used for troubleshooting. Fill the remaining time with bench work, short entry/exit jobs or older work from the backlog.

Working with one person’s/crew’s workload, the scheduler (usually the direct supervisor at this point) divides the person’s work into the days of the week. Schedule important work for the beginning of the week to ensure its completion. Where any work order has a day or time indicated, schedule it accordingly. Check the distribution to ensure no single day is overloaded and make necessary adjustments.

If you use paper work orders, clip each day’s work together and note the person/crew on the top work order. If you use a computer, flag them in the manner required by the CMMS. This often involves assigning personnel and creating targeted start dates on each CMMS work order.

Repeat the above steps for each remaining person or crew requiring scheduling.

When finished, set aside the work orders for distribution during the following week. Maintenance personnel should distribute and receive work orders on a daily basis. The supervisor reviews them daily and makes any required scheduling or reassignment adjustments. This daily feedback and scheduling loop allows the supervisor to monitor and control both work performance and the backlog. This relieves the chaos and controls the work. s

Arne Oas is the senior consultant for Computerized Facility Integration. He can be reached at 215-918-2165 or by e-mailing aoas@gocfi.com. 

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