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carrying out internal activities like plan- ning or interdepartmental actions such as warehousing or purchasing providing needed materials for maintenance. Based on the manager's objectives and policies, individual departments could devise or align procedures for internal departmen- tal actions like maintenance planning and interdepartmental actions like the con- duct of operations/maintenance schedul- ing. In turn, these collective procedures would constitute departmental programs in which interdepartmental actions over- lap. The maintenance program, for exam- ple, would explain how maintenance planners order or reserve warehouse parts and materials. The warehouse program, in turn, would explain how to alert planners that the requested parts are available and the procedures for pick up or job-site delivery (Figure 2-2). Outlining Clear Objectives All departments require clear objectives so that their actions are aligned with the intent of the mine manager's production strategy. Maintenance Objective—(1) Keep pro- duction equipment in a safe, effective, as designed, operating condition so that production targets can be met on time and at least cost. (2) Perform approved, properly engineered and cor- rectly funded non-maintenance work (such as construction and equipment installation) only when work does not reduce the capability for carrying out maintenance. (3) Operate support facilities (such as power generation) if necessary resources are allocated with- in the authorized workforce and are properly budgeted. (4) Monitor per- formance of contractor support when utilized to perform maintenance or cap- ital work. The objective clarifies maintenance responsibilities and precedence. Wording is important. "As designed" means that equipment modification is not maintenance. Project work is non- maintenance work requiring manage- ment-level approval, proper engineer- ing and capital funding. It is done only after resources satisfy production equipment maintenance needs. Opera- ting functions (like power generation) must be properly staffed and budgeted. Such an objective clarifies essential maintenance work responsibilities while advising the total mine of main- tenance capabilities, limitations and constraints. Similar objectives might be assigned to other departments to bring their actions into alignment with maintenance and the mine manager's production strategy. Operations Objective—Operate equip- ment properly to meet established pro duction, quality and cost targets. Utilize maintenance services effective- ly to ensure availability of reliable equipment. Perform operator mainten- ance in coordination with maintenance. Follow established work order proce- dures in requesting work and utilize the work order system to control work per- formed by operating personnel. Follow guidelines in requesting non-mainten- ance support. Conduct weekly schedul- ing meetings with maintenance and engineering to determine the require- ment for equipment shutdown. Negoti- ate best shutdown times to comply with operating needs. Warehousing Objective—Stock and replenish specified repair materials, components and consumables to en- sure they are available for use as re- quired. Arrange procedures to have selected components rebuilt and re- stocked in inventory. Provide effective stock issue and return procedures. Operate tool room to ensure availabili ty, maintenance and accountability of specified tools. Purchasing Objective—Provide pur- chasing and contracting support to obtain materials and services as re- quested by operating departments. Supply materials and services to permit maintenance, maintenance–support or projects to be dependably scheduled and carried out with on-time comple- tion at agreed upon costs. Accounting Objective—Establish a suitable information system that allows operating departments to develop and utilize information to control operations and work while providing plant-level cost and performance information. System should also provide for control of inventory, purchasing and operating activities. Confer with all departments as system is developed or identified to ensure ease of use and capability of field personnel to develop data to en- sure timely, accurate and complete information is provided to all users. Illustrative objectives like these pro- vide clarification of the internal and interdepartmental responsibilities of each department to encourage and reinforce teamwork, mutual-support and cooperation. Policies Make the Program Policies prescribe the manner in which departments conduct internal activities and interact to help satisfy the manager's production strategy. They also clarify the objectives assigned to departments to preclude misunderstanding of roles and responsibilities. Objectives spell out what to do while policies explain how. Together they form the basis by which depart- ments organize internal and interdepart- mental procedures into operating pro- grams. In turn, these programs explain what each department does, who does what, how and why. A typical series of policies as they relate to maintenance activities is shown in the accompanying sidebar. The poli- cies identify what maintenance is to do and how to do it. They also guide the actions of other departments in cooperat- ing with maintenance. It is important to acknowledge that the detail of such illustrative policies could imply "micromanagement" by mine managers. Rather, they represent thoughtful guidelines of a manager who knows that effective maintenance is a step on the pathway to world class status for his operation. Departmental objectives together with policies clarifying these objectives are established by the mine manager's pro- duction strategy. In turn, their incorpora- tion into departmental programs helps to ensure operational integrity, cooperation and mutual support among all mining departments that are the ingredients of a highly successful mining operation. Next month: Step 3—How to develop, document, test and implement an effective mine maintenance management program . Paul D. Tomlingson (pdtmtc@msn.com) is a Denver-based maintenance management consultant. His latest book, Maintenance in Transition—The Journey to World-class Maintenance , includes a comprehensive maintenance terminology appendix and a recommended listing of proven objectives and policies. Copies of the book (ISBN 978-1-4675-9069-3, 395 pp.) can be purchased from the author. He welcomes inquiries concerning these articles . 78 E&MJ; • DECEMBER 2015 www.e-mj.com M A I N T E N A N C E