13.1.1-3 Minimize Maintenance Time

Equipment should be designed to minimize the time required for maintenance if having the equipment out of service can affect safety.

Additional Information:
Minimizing the time required for maintenance can increase the equipment's availability. One factor that can increase maintenance time is high cognitive demands associated with such activities as finding components and test or service points, tracing flows between components, and detecting and interpreting symptoms. A second factor is high physical demands, such as dexterity for disassembling and reassembling equipment, accessing internal components, and using connectors, test points, and service points. Maintenance time may also be lengthened by factors that increase the likelihood of errors, such as inadequate feedback from plant or test equipment. In addition, factors that introduce delays or special logistic requirements, such as the need for special tools and test equipment may prolong maintenance.