Preventive maintenance is a type of maintenance that is designed to prevent failures and extend the lifespan of assets, including infrastructure, facilities, machines, software, and documents. This type of maintenance differs from reactive maintenance, which involves fixing things that are already broken. Preventive maintenance involves regularly scheduled inspections, cleaning, and repairs to ensure that assets are in good working order and to identify potential problems before they occur. By implementing preventive maintenance, organizations can reduce the risk of costly breakdowns and extend the useful life of their assets. The following are illustrative examples of preventive maintenance.

Maintenance Schedule

The manufacturer of a high speed train publishes a 10 year maintenance schedule that outlines the recommended preventive maintenance in the first decade of a train’s lifespan.

Safety

Parts and components of an aircraft are scheduled to be replaced by maintenance teams before they wear out.

Regular Maintenance

An elevator undergoes regular inspections that include a diagnostic test to determine if components should be replaced.

Security

An operating system is kept up-to-date to prevent security incidents.

Recommended Maintenance

A software developer recommends improvements that may reduce risks related to a legacy system. Management approves the changes and they are developed and deployed.