Avoiding costly reactive maintenance is as simple as adopting a structured approach. The following 6 steps take you through the process of creating your maintenance plan, the ideal reference tool to guide you through your entire year of maintenance, services and repairs.

STEP 1: Take Inventory
Perform an inventory of all the equipment in your park and develop a list and schedule of maintenance required.
Your inventory should list of all the major components of the attraction, as well as manufacturer and model information and specifications, local vendor or supplier and technical representative contact information, warranty information and costs.

STEP 2: Set your Schedule
Determine the frequency that each item should be checked. The day-to-day maintenance requirements, even if they seem obvious, need to be part of the maintenance plan.
Additionally, have a replacement plan — yearly, or every three or five years — that replaces either equipment or parts, and budget for it.

STEP 3: Craft your Game Plan
Layout all the required maintenance in an annual plan, including anticipated repairs and replacements for the end of the season.
Determine which critical items that, if they fail, will shut down the attraction immediately, or if you do continue operating, could lead to injury. Identify high risk areas and have a game plan and perhaps a backup. Part of your game plan is also having spares or repair kits on hand for smaller items needing attention.

STEP 4: Establish your Budget
Budgeting for major and minor repairs is integral to the success of a preventive-maintenance plan. Use your maintenance tasks checklist as a list of line items that require budget numbers, enter the estimated cost of each item and its date that the cost may occur.

Step 5: Educate Your Team
Ensure staff who are required to deal with the waterpark equipment are familiar with it and receive the training they need to operate the equipment safely.
The employees in charge of maintenance inspections should be put through a basic training program to familiarize themselves with the components of the aquatic facility. The most effective way to safeguard your maintenance plan is to have your maintenance team utilize a series of checklists created by the manufacturers for each piece of equipment.

Step 6: Document and Review
Documenting routine inspections is necessary to maintain compliance with O&M Manual recommendations as well as Occupational Health and Safety and Insurance compliance. Accurately recorded and audited checklists help guide the process, ensure no items are left unmaintained or not inspected, while protecting the health and safety of maintenance staff, park patrons and facility operators from liability.

Following these six simple steps can help you control your maintenance costs and extend the life of your attractions. If you’d like extra help conducting maintenance, creating your schedule or estimating your budget, our team of experts are here for you. We’ve distilled some of their expertise into a maintenance guide that’s available here.

For any questions you may have, we’re only a call away: +1 (604) 273-1068.