Quick answer
What is preventive maintenance?
Preventive maintenance, often called planned preventive maintenance (PPM), is maintenance carried out on a fixed schedule of time, running hours or cycles to stop equipment failing, rather than repairing it after it breaks. A PPM checklist lists each task, its frequency, the readings to record and who does it.
In this article (16 sections)
- What Is Preventive Maintenance?
- Before You Use This Preventive Maintenance Checklist
- DG Maintenance Checklist
- Lift and Escalator Maintenance Checklist
- HVAC Maintenance Checklist
- Electrical Maintenance Checklist
- Fire Pump and Fire System Checks
- Plumbing, STP and WTP Checklist
- BMS Maintenance Checklist
- Asset Register Fields
- PPM Calendar Tips
- Maintenance KPIs: PPM Compliance, MTBF and MTTR
- Records to Keep for Audits
- Running PPM with LazyMonkey
- Conclusion
- Frequently Asked Questions
This preventive maintenance checklist is for chief engineers, MEP managers and facility heads running malls and large commercial buildings in India. Use it as a shopping mall or building maintenance checklist: a PPM schedule for DG sets, lifts and escalators, HVAC, electrical, fire pumps, plumbing, STP and WTP, and BMS, plus the asset register, KPIs and records.
What Is Preventive Maintenance?
PPM is one of four maintenance approaches; a mall uses all four:
| Approach | When work happens | Mall example | Where it fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breakdown (reactive) | After a failure | Failed hand dryer | Low-cost items with spares |
| Preventive (PPM) | On a calendar or running-hour schedule | DG oil change at OEM interval | DG, lifts, HVAC, panels, pumps |
| Condition-based | When a reading crosses a limit | AHU filter at set pressure drop | Filters, belts, batteries, transformer oil |
| Predictive | When trends predict failure | Chiller vibration trend | High-value rotating equipment |
PPM is the backbone; add the others where they fit.
Before You Use This Preventive Maintenance Checklist
These frequencies are common Indian practice; three things take precedence:
- The OEM manual and AMC terms, often in running hours.
- Statutory inspections and licences. See our lift licence renewal guide and fire NOC guide. Electrical installations are inspected or self-certified under Regulation 32 of the Central Electricity Authority (Measures relating to Safety and Electric Supply) Regulations, 2023, at intervals set by the appropriate government (usually the state) and not exceeding five years.
- Your failure history. If an asset fails between visits, shorten the interval or add a condition check.
DG Maintenance Checklist
Shift operators do the daily items; the OEM or authorised dealer does the rest.
| Frequency | DG set checks |
|---|---|
| Daily (each shift) | Fuel in day and main tank; oil and coolant levels; battery voltage and charger; leaks; panel in auto with no alarms; DG room clear, louvres open; running hours logged |
| During every run | Voltage, current, frequency, kW, power factor, oil pressure, coolant temperature, exhaust colour; abnormal noise or vibration |
| Weekly | OEM test run; battery terminals; belt tension; radiator fins clear; fuel water separator drained; air filter indicator |
| Monthly | Run on load (building or load bank) as the OEM recommends; AMF changeover test; exhaust joints; earthing; enclosure seals; fuel stock reconciliation |
| At OEM service interval (hours or months, whichever is first) | Engine oil and filters; fuel filters; air filter; coolant condition; valve and injector checks as specified |
| Annual | Full OEM service; alternator insulation resistance; protection relay and breaker testing; stack emission and noise checks per your pollution control board consent |
Lift and Escalator Maintenance Checklist
Staff do quick operator checks each morning but never open controllers or machine guards; only the OEM or a licensed lift contractor under the AMC does technical maintenance.
Lift maintenance checklist: daily operator checks
- Car and landing call buttons, floor indicators and lighting working at every floor
- Alarm bell, intercom or emergency phone connects to the security control room
- Door reopening device (light curtain or safety edge) reverses the doors
- Car levels with each landing, with no trip step
- No unusual noise, vibration or jerky starts and stops
- Car ventilation fan and emergency light working
- Automatic rescue device status indicator healthy, where fitted
- Machine room clean, locked and ventilated; pit dry where accessible
- Current lift licence displayed where your state's rules require it
Escalator maintenance checklist: daily operator checks
- Emergency stop buttons tested at start of day by trained staff, then restarted with the key
- Handrails moving at the same speed as the steps, with no cuts or heat
- Comb plates complete, with no broken or missing teeth
- Skirt brushes or deflectors in place; no gaps or rubbing at the skirting
- Steps clean, with no damaged step treads or demarcation lines
- No unusual noise or vibration; landing plates secure
- Safety signage, landing lighting and anti-climb and deck barriers in place
OEM AMC checks for lifts and escalators
Monthly or as the AMC specifies, the OEM technician checks brakes, ropes or chains, governor and safety gear, door locks, controllers, drives, safety switches and lubrication. Record each visit with technician, findings and parts replaced. Statutory inspections and lift licence renewal are separate from the AMC.
HVAC Maintenance Checklist
Air conditioning is a mall's biggest energy load and most common tenant complaint. Log readings daily to spot drift, and set who responds in your escalation matrix.
| Asset | Daily or weekly | Monthly or quarterly | Annual or as OEM specifies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chillers | Chilled and condenser water temperatures, pressures, motor current, alarms | Refrigerant leak signs, strainers, starter panel, controls | Condenser tube cleaning, oil and vibration analysis, OEM overhaul |
| AHUs and FCUs | Filter pressure drop, belt condition, drain pan draining, unusual noise | Filters, coils and drain pans cleaned; dampers and actuators checked | Motor and bearing checks, fan balancing, VFD inspection |
| Cooling towers | Water level and make-up, fan operation, drift and leaks, blowdown | Water treatment dosing and test results (pH, conductivity) | Fill and basin cleaning and disinfection per your water treatment programme |
| Pumps (chilled and condenser) | Pressure, leaks, noise, gland or seal condition | Alignment, coupling, strainers | Motor insulation resistance, bearing replacement as needed |
Electrical Maintenance Checklist
| Asset | Checks | Typical frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Transformers | Oil and winding temperature, oil level, silica gel colour, leaks | Daily log |
| Transformers | Oil testing (breakdown voltage and more) | Annual, or as advised |
| HT and LT panels | Voltage, current, power factor; indicator lamps; heat, smell or sound | Daily |
| HT and LT panels, busducts | Thermography scan for hot spots under load | At least annually, often before summer peak |
| Breakers and protection | Breaker operation, relay testing, RCD test buttons | Monthly test buttons; relay testing annually or as specified |
| Earthing | Earth pit resistance test and record | At least once a year on a dry day for installations above 650 V (CEA Regulations 2023, regulation 50(8)); many sites also test before and after the monsoon |
| Capacitor banks and UPS | Capacitor health, UPS battery voltage and backup test | Monthly |
Fire Pump and Fire System Checks
- Weekly: fire pump run tests (electric, diesel and jockey) with start and running pressures; diesel pump battery, fuel and coolant.
- Monthly: hydrant and sprinkler pressure checks.
- Annual: full flow test of fire pumps by the fire contractor.
Other fire inspections are in our fire safety checklist; hot work during PPM needs a hot work permit.
Plumbing, STP and WTP Checklist
- Daily: pump pressures; tank levels; leaks in washrooms, shafts and basements; STP blowers and pumps; treated water appearance and odour.
- Weekly: standby pump changeover; float switches and level controllers; WTP softener or filter backwash as set.
- Monthly: STP and WTP test results against consent limits; valves exercised; food court drain and grease trap cleaning.
- Quarterly to half-yearly: overhead and underground tank cleaning and disinfection as your policy or local authority sets; pump motor insulation resistance.
BMS Maintenance Checklist
- Daily: review active and overnight alarms; no points left in manual override.
- Weekly: review trend logs for key temperatures, pressures and run hours.
- Monthly: back up the BMS database and graphics; check field controller communication.
- Annual: calibrate critical sensors; review schedules against trading hours.
Asset Register Fields
Build the PPM schedule from an asset register with these fields:
| Field | Example |
|---|---|
| Asset ID and tag | DG-02, with a QR or barcode label |
| Category and description | Diesel generator set, 1010 kVA |
| Location | Basement 2, DG room, bay 2 |
| Make, model and serial number | As on the nameplate |
| Installation date and warranty expiry | Dates |
| AMC vendor, contract number and expiry | Vendor and dates |
| Criticality | A (life safety or trading-critical), B, C |
| PPM tasks and frequencies | Linked checklists |
| Statutory licence or inspection, with due date | Lift licence number and renewal date |
| Critical spares | Filters, belts, batteries held in store |
| Maintenance and breakdown history | Every job, reading and part replaced |
PPM Calendar Tips
- Schedule around trading hours. Do shutdown work before opening or after closing, avoiding weekends, festivals and sales.
- Front-load before peak seasons. Finish HVAC and thermography before summer, and drainage and roof checks before the monsoon.
- Stagger identical assets. Never service both DG sets, or all lifts in one core, on the same day.
- Use running hours where the OEM does. Calendar-only schedules over-service standby DG sets.
Maintenance KPIs: PPM Compliance, MTBF and MTTR
- PPM compliance %: tasks completed within their window divided by tasks scheduled, times 100. Shows whether PPM gets done.
- MTBF (mean time between failures): total operating time divided by number of failures. Shows reliability.
- MTTR (mean time to repair): total repair time divided by number of repairs. Shows speed of response and spares.
- Planned vs reactive ratio: planned work hours divided by total maintenance hours. Shows time lost to firefighting.
- Repeat breakdowns: failures on the same asset within 30 days. Tests repair and PPM quality.
Records to Keep for Audits
- Completed PPM checklists with date, time, technician and readings
- OEM and AMC service reports and parts replaced
- Statutory inspection reports, licences, earth resistance and thermography reports
- DG running hours, fuel logs and emission or noise tests
- Fire system tests and drills
- Water test reports for STP, WTP and cooling towers
- Breakdown log with root cause, plus an incident report for any injury or entrapment
Running PPM with LazyMonkey
LazyMonkey Checklists turns these tables into scheduled checklists with time slots and holiday calendars. Technicians scan a QR code at the asset to start and record readings, photos and signatures; a failed item raises an escalated issue, and a missed checklist alerts the right people.
LazyMonkey Compliance keeps lift licences, electrical and DG inspections and fire NOC renewals in one register with owners and reminders.
Conclusion
A preventive maintenance checklist works when built from the asset register, follows OEM and statutory requirements, and leaves a record for every task. Start with critical assets, measure PPM compliance monthly, and adjust intervals from your breakdown history.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a preventive maintenance checklist?
It is a list of scheduled maintenance tasks for each asset, with the frequency, readings to record and person responsible, used to prevent breakdowns rather than repair them afterwards.
What is included in a DG maintenance checklist?
Daily checks of fuel, oil, coolant, battery, leaks and control panel status; weekly test runs and belt and battery checks; monthly load and changeover tests; and oil, filter and full services at the OEM's interval.
Who should do lift and escalator maintenance?
Your staff can do daily operator checks such as alarms, door reversal, emergency stops and handrails. Technical maintenance should be done only by the OEM or a licensed lift contractor under the AMC, and statutory inspections follow your state's lift Act.
How often should earthing be tested?
The CEA Safety Regulations 2023 require earthing systems at installations above 650 V to be tested for earth resistance on a dry day at least once a year, with records kept for the Electrical Inspector. Many sites also test before and after the monsoon.
How is PPM compliance calculated?
Divide the number of PPM tasks completed within their scheduled window by the number scheduled for the period, and multiply by 100. Track it monthly by asset category.
Sources
- Central Electricity Authority (Measures relating to Safety and Electric Supply) Regulations, 2023 (Gazette notification) Central Electricity Authority, 8 Jun 2023
- Chief Electrical Inspectorate Division: statutory periodic inspection under Regulation 32 Central Electricity Authority
Filed under Mall & Facility Operations · First published
