What are two examples of corrective maintenance?

Answered by Douglas Hiatt

Example 1: Emergency Repairs
One example of corrective maintenance is emergency repairs. These are urgent repairs that need to be done immediately in order to prevent a breakdown or further damage. Emergency repairs are often necessary when there is a critical failure or malfunction in a system or equipment. For instance, if a manufacturing machine suddenly stops working, it may require emergency repairs to get it up and running again as quickly as possible. Similarly, in the case of a power outage, emergency repairs may be needed to restore electricity and prevent any further disruptions.

I recall a personal experience where I had to deal with emergency repairs in a residential building. One day, there was a sudden water leak in the main plumbing system, causing flooding in multiple apartments. As a maintenance technician, I had to quickly assess the situation and take immediate action to stop the leak and repair the damaged pipes. The urgency of the situation required prompt troubleshooting, sourcing the necessary replacement parts, and working efficiently to minimize the impact on the residents. This example highlights the critical nature of emergency repairs and the need for swift action to prevent further damage.

Example 2: Service Outages
Another example of corrective maintenance is restoring services that are down or disrupted. Service outages can occur in various industries, such as telecommunications, transportation, or utilities. One common scenario is fixing a broken telephone line. When a telephone line is not functioning correctly, it can result in a loss of communication and inconvenience for individuals or businesses relying on that service.

In my previous role as a telecommunications technician, I often dealt with service outages. I remember one instance where a major fiber optic cable was accidentally cut during construction work. This incident severed communication services for an entire area, affecting numerous businesses and residents. It was crucial to conduct immediate repairs to reconnect the cable and restore communication services. This involved identifying the exact location of the break, splicing the fiber optic strands, and conducting thorough testing to ensure the system was fully operational. The priority was to minimize the downtime and inconvenience caused by the service outage.

To summarize, two examples of corrective maintenance are emergency repairs, which involve urgent fixes to prevent breakdowns or further damage, and service outages, where the focus is on restoring disrupted services such as fixing broken telephone lines. These examples highlight the importance of swift action and efficient troubleshooting in addressing maintenance issues and minimizing the impact on individuals, businesses, or infrastructure.