MRO SUPPLIES AT WESTERN TOOL COMPANY Keep Your Facility Up and Running

How MRO Products Help Keep Your Facility Up and Running

Guest Post By Suzanne Pearl

MRO SUPPLIES AT WESTERNTOOLCO.COM

Many people don't know what MRO means, but every facility, no matter what the size, performs MRO in some way. MRO is an acronym that stands for Maintenance, Repair and Operations. These are the repairs and maintenance you perform to keep your facility in good working order. Every minute a piece of equipment is shut down means lost productivity, late production schedules and lost revenue. A good MRO team, no matter how big or how small, plays an important role by minimizing downtime and keeping your facility running on schedule. Good MRO practices also create a safer work environment with more productive employees. When MRO jobs are done efficiently, with all the necessary tools and supplies on-hand, the results are attractive buildings and grounds, safe and productive work environments and a healthy bottom line.

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Unlike what most people think, MRO isn't just repairing broken equipment. MRO includes everything from regular equipment inspections, to daily cleaning, to routine maintenance to replacing entire pieces of equipment or machinery. The key is making sure you have the right tools and supplies for the job at hand including the proper PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) to get the job done without accidents or injuries.
"MRO products include a tremendous variety of items" says Rob Phibbs, MRO Product Manager for Seton, a company that specializes in MRO product sales. "MRO includes everything from inspection tags to track maintenance requests, to tools to make the repairs, to gloves to wear when performing the work."
For example, a MRO employee might need to repair a broken floor buffer. They know it needs work by the repair tag attached to it alerting them that it is broken. They may also need other MRO products like screwdrivers, wire nuts, absorbent pads, lubricant and safety glasses to perform the repair quickly, cleanly and safely.
In general, there are two types of MRO - corrective and preventative. Corrective maintenance (repair) is the most common type of MRO operation. Corrective maintenance is where your equipment or machinery is repaired after breaking down or being damaged. Making these repairs is often critical because unplanned downtime is costly for business. Corrective maintenance can also be expensive - especially if an item can't be repaired and has to be replaced. Common types of corrective maintenance include, repairing cut or frayed cords unclogging drains, or replacing a flat tire on your fork lift.
Preventative MRO (maintenance) is an attempt to prevent breakdowns before they actually occur. Some examples of preventative maintenance include things like fixing a slow leak before it becomes a major flood, tuning up motors or engines to get optimum energy efficiency or lubricating and sealing machinery to reduce friction and prevent rust. Other preventative maintenance is performed to help avoid any health or safety issues that could arise. Some examples of this type of preventative maintenance include, reducing squeaks and piercing noises from equipment that may cause hearing damage, wiping up grease on the floor that might cause a slip and fall accident or using fluorescent tape to mark low doorways that prevents people from bumping their heads.
MRO affects every area of your facility from the front office to the restrooms to the manufacturing floor. Regular maintenance and quick repairs help you reduce your overall maintenance costs. Some companies choose to out-source MRO and hire contractors to perform the necessary repairs and maintenance. Others have an in-house maintenance team which often saves money and time. If your MRO team is in-house, here are a few tips to help them make and maintain a safe and clean work environment.

• Stock up on all-purpose cleaners. They can be used for a variety of jobs from scrubbing restroom floors to wiping down cafeteria countertops to removing unsightly scuffs and heel marks from reception area walls. Regularly cleaning surfaces makes them last longer so you won't have to replace them so often.
• Keep solvent based cleaners on-hand to remove gum from the lobby carpet or graffiti from walls. It's been proven that fast clean-ups prevent repeat offenses.
• Use inspection and repair tags. They help you prioritize repairs and prevent workers from being injured by operating faulty equipment,
• Use spill pads to catch spills or drips when making machinery repairs. They prevent slip and fall accidents on slick floors, plus they're great for wiping down greasy tools or work surfaces.
• When painting, knock off any peeling paint or dirt with an abrasive disc or grinder first. Then use tape to cover any areas you don't want painted. Good surface preparation first always gives you a better end result.
• Make electrical repairs fast, simple and safe by having a full assortment of electrical connectors, wire markers, wire ties and electrical tape on hand.
• When reassembling machinery, use thread locker on threaded fasteners. It'll prevent replacing screws and bolts that might vibrate loose in the future. Plus it helps reduce rust, corrosion and leaks.
• Care for your concrete. If neglected, chips and cracks just get bigger and more dangerous. Fill in those cracks and chips before the damage is so severe you have replace the entire concrete floor, loading dock or sidewalk.
• Gear up with PPE before performing any MRO project. Protect yourself and your workers from head injuries, eye injuries, cuts, hearing loss and respiratory problems. Wearing PPE helps you comply with OSHA regulations while creating safer work conditions and more productive workers. Wear a dust mask while sweeping or sanding, use ear plugs to protect hearing from noisy pressure washers or wear gloves to ward off cuts and scrapes.

MRO (Maintenance Repair and Operations) plays an important role by minimizing downtime and keeping any facility in top-notch condition. MRO creates a safer work environment, more productive employees and improved profits. There are a huge variety of MRO products available to help you perform corrective or preventative maintenance quickly, safely and easily. So, with the use of the right MRO products and good MRO practices you can keep your facility - from the front office to the manufacturing floor - well-maintained and functioning at optimum levels.
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