An educational library of workplace documents — purpose, who completes them, when they are used, typical fields, common mistakes and how they connect. Linked to workplace safety, workplace training, occupations, industries and employment documents. Informational only — template examples, not legal advice or official documents; employers remain responsible and using a document does not guarantee compliance.
What a planned maintenance record is
A planned (preventive) maintenance record documents the scheduled servicing of equipment — the tasks done, the parts replaced and the condition found — so that maintenance is carried out before failure rather than only after it.
This page is an educational overview with a simplified example. It is not an official template and does not set a maintenance schedule — the employer and the equipment’s requirements decide what maintenance is needed and how often.
Purpose
- Record the preventive maintenance carried out on a piece of equipment.
- Capture tasks completed, parts replaced and condition observed.
- Support reliability and safe operation by keeping equipment in good order.
- Build a maintenance history that informs future servicing.
Who completes it
- A competent maintenance person or contractor nominated by the employer.
- Someone with the skills and information for that equipment.
- The employer decides who is competent and approves the schedule.
- Operators report issues but do not usually carry out planned maintenance.
When it is used
- On the planned maintenance schedule set for the equipment.
- Based on hours run, cycles, calendar time or the maker’s information.
- Brought forward when condition monitoring or checks reveal a problem.
- The employer is responsible for keeping the schedule current.
Typical fields
- Equipment identity, location and the maintenance schedule reference.
- Date, the person or contractor and the next due date.
- Tasks completed, parts and consumables used.
- Condition observed and any defects found for follow-up.
- Sign-off and confirmation the equipment is fit to return to use.
- Example fields only — adapt to the equipment and the maker’s information.
Common mistakes
- Letting planned maintenance slip so equipment runs to failure.
- Recording maintenance that was not actually carried out.
- Not following up defects found during maintenance.
- Keeping no history, so recurring problems go unnoticed.
Document workflow
The planned maintenance record draws on operator pre-use checks and inspection records, and feeds the breakdown report when something fails between services. Defects found during maintenance may trigger a repair, a re-inspection or removal from service.
See the related documents below for what is commonly used with and completed after a planned maintenance record.
Retention (high level)
Maintenance records are typically kept for the life of the equipment or a period set by the employer and any applicable rules. This page does not state a required period — confirm with the applicable law and the official authority.
Completing and sharing as a PDF
Maintenance records are commonly stored as PDFs in the equipment’s history. Exporting to PDF supports the record; it does not make the maintenance official or guarantee compliance.
Employer checklist
- Set a maintenance schedule based on the equipment and the maker’s information.
- Use competent people or contractors for the work.
- Make sure planned maintenance is actually carried out on time.
- Keep maintenance, inspection and pre-use records together.
Operator notes
- Report faults so they can be added to the maintenance plan.
- Do not use equipment that is marked as out of service for maintenance.
- Carry out your own pre-use checks between services.
Country considerations
Requirements to maintain work equipment, and the official authority, vary by country. This page is general and high-level — not a statement of any country’s law and not a guarantee of validity.
Confirm current requirements with the official authority for your country and a qualified professional.
Who is responsible
The employer is responsible for ensuring equipment is maintained so it remains safe, and for compliance. This page is an educational overview with a template example; it does not set a schedule and does not transfer responsibility.
Export, edit and share documents
The documents, policies and templates this involves can be exported, edited, signed, stored and shared as PDFs with the HELPERG PDF Editor.
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