Most breakdowns in a warehouse give a warning first: a squealing belt, a door that's slow to close, a conveyor that trips once a shift. Preventive maintenance (PM) is simply a routine for catching those warnings before they turn into downtime. Here's a checklist you can start with this week.
Weekly
| Area | Check |
|---|---|
| Conveyors | Walk the line: belt tracking and tension, noisy or seized rollers, guards in place, E-stops and pull cords working. |
| Dock doors | Open and close each door: smooth travel, no rubbing, cables not frayed, seals and bumpers intact. |
| Dock levelers | Full cycle: lip extends and folds, no hydraulic leaks, toe guards in place. |
| Housekeeping | Debris under conveyors and around motors, spills near equipment. |
Monthly
| Area | Check |
|---|---|
| Doors | Photo-eye and reversing tests, operator limits, man-door closers. |
| HVAC | Filters, belts and pulleys, unit heater operation. |
| Drives & motors | Heat, noise, vibration, loose mounting bolts. |
| Lighting | Burnt-out fixtures in aisles, docks and exits. |
Quarterly
| Area | Check |
|---|---|
| Racking | Walk every aisle: bent beams and uprights, missing pins, damaged anchors and base plates. |
| Conveyors | Gearbox oil, chain and sprocket wear, sensor alignment. |
| Safety devices | Guarding, interlocks and E-stop circuits tested. |
Make it stick
- Write it down as work orders. A checklist on a clipboard gets lost. A work order in a CMMS has a due date, an owner and a record.
- Record what you find, not just "done". "Belt tracking adjusted on line 3" tells the next person far more than a tick mark.
- Close the loop. Every problem found on a PM should become a repair work order, and someone should check it was fixed.
- Review monthly. Which PMs are overdue? Which equipment keeps failing? Adjust the routine.
Safety first: lock out equipment before reaching into guards, belts or drives. Inspections that need covers removed are maintenance tasks, not walk-arounds.
Want a PM program set up for your site? We can build the schedule, do the work and send you the records. Ask us about it.