Maintenance of Construction Machinery – What Construction Contractors Should Pay Attention To

Maintenance – Definition

The term maintenance refers to all technical and administrative measures performed on construction machinery to maintain its operational condition. It is essential that maintenance of construction machinery takes place during the holding period, i.e., while the machinery is in use on a construction site. Repair, on the other hand, encompasses repairs outside the holding period to prepare the machinery as optimally as possible for its next deployment.

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Standards DIN EN 13306 and DIN 31051 – What Do I Need to Pay Attention To?

There are numerous regulations concerning maintenance that cover not only specific technical measures but also topics such as preparation, logistics, and documentation of these measures. Two standards are particularly important: DIN EN 13306 and DIN 31051.

To ensure uniformity, the standard EN 13306 was established at the European level, which exists in Germany as DIN EN 13306. This standard explains the significance of all important terms that play a role in the maintenance process – from failures and defects to maintenance strategies and maintenance phases. The original standard DIN 31052 now supplements only those terms that are not yet covered in DIN EN 13306. The purpose of these standards is to prevent misunderstandings: Through the definitions, all parties involved know what is being discussed. The European standard (DIN EN 13306) also has the advantage of being available in three languages – German, English, and French – making it applicable to construction projects with international business partners.

Preventive Maintenance and Maintenance Costs – What Strategies Exist?

If you want to establish a maintenance strategy for your machinery fleet, there are a number of factors to consider: How high is the failure risk of individual machines? What maintenance processes must be completed in the event of a failure? Where can spare parts be sourced and stored? Which employees have the appropriate training to perform maintenance work?

One possible strategy is so-called scheduled preventive maintenance (SPM): This involves regular inspection and maintenance of the machinery before a defect becomes apparent. Minor damage found during inspection is corrected, and certain failure-prone components are routinely replaced independently of their actual wear condition. Such preventive maintenance is typically more cost-effective than stopping construction work due to machinery failure. Repair costs for construction machinery incurred as part of maintenance are generally part of the holding costs.

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