Abstract:
Over time, the definition of maintenance has evolved
from activities meant to keep equipment in an operable condition, to
a set of activities required to keep the means of production in the desired
operating conditions or to restore them to this condition. Further,
all those systematic activities geared towards the actual execution and
improvement of maintenance are referred to as Maintenance practices.
There is a general assumption that maintenance practices in the
developing world are below standard, when compared to what
happens in the developed world. However, this is not a fact that
has been determined empirically, but rather a perception. This paper
presents the results of an assessment of maintenance practices in
Kenyan industries, using a maintenance practices evaluation tool.
The analysis provides a critical overview of the current status of
maintenance practices and also how these maintenance practices
compare with the best practices globally. The research was carried
out through a survey, using a questionnaire developed to establish the
maintenance practices in a number of Kenyan companies. The survey
clustered into different categories, namely, service, power generation,
food manufacturing and processing, agro/chemical, metal processing,
motor vehicle assemblers, transport, maintenance and construction
industries. The responses from the survey were analyzed using the
three aspects of maintenance practices, namely, technical, managerial
and human aspects. For each of these aspects, an evaluation index
was developed and calculated. Subsequently, the general evaluation
index was determined. This index showed that Kenyan companies
are at the managed level of maintenance practices. At this level,
the processes are partially planned and performance depends on the
operators’ experience and competence.
It is recommended that the companies aim at improving the index to
the highest level, namely the optimizing stage.
