Construction is one of the most complex industries regardless of the project’s scale or whether it is being undertaken by a large, medium or small enterprise. There are a lot of moving parts and dozens of processes and guidelines to be taken into account. The last thing a construction business needs is to worry about the status of their machinery. Therefore implementing a CMMS solution should be a priority in all construction companies. 

While ensuring that the construction machinery is in good working condition it is important to look at the other benefits a CMMS system can provide businesses operating in the construction sector. 

What is CMMS 

CMMS stands for Computerised Maintenance Management System. It is a mobile and cloud based software solution that is used to improve the efficiency of asset maintenance along with the processes involved. CMMS systems achieve this by streamlining the processes required for maintenance scheduling, work order assignment, asset inventory management and maintenance reporting, all while providing a database to store the relevant information related to these tasks. 

With an understanding of what CMMS systems do we can now see why these systems are used in a number of sectors varying from manufacturing to mining and commercial real estate. Now let’s look at the benefits it can have on the construction sector. 

CMMS system benefits

Increase efficiency 

A benefit many companies are always striving to gain in all departments. With CMMS construction companies can be certain that the machinery required to do the task at hand will be operating at optimum efficiency due to care and exacting maintenance standards. 

Is there a problem on the construction site and it is far from the businesses office? CMMS can be accessed on a mobile phone so both the issue can be logged instantly as well as the work order to attend to the problem, this means that less time will be wasted due to streamlined work order management.

With a robust cloud based platform maintenance history, efficient process workflows and asset checklists are available for review to ensure machinery is running at 100 percent. Unforeseen breakdowns will become a thing of the past. 

Assets cannot be running at all times so CMMS provides you with the ability to schedule maintenance at the best time so construction does not need to be halted.  

Increased compliance

Compliance is vital in the construction industry, with so many tasks that require completion under stringent guidelines and the possibility of compliance inspectors showing up at any moment it can be overwhelming. However a CMMS system can assist in workplace health and safety compliance. Forklifts are commonly found on construction sites however regular inspections of these assets must be undertaken, a CMMS system can ensure that this will be done and record the necessary information relating to the inspection. This is just one of the many examples of how CMMS systems help reinforce health and safety on a work site by maintaining equipment and ensuring they are safe to use. 

Reduce cost 

Controlling costs on a construction site can be a headache with so much to keep track of it can be daunting. CMMS system allows businesses to keep track of costs and asset inventory through a secure database so employers can be certain they are not making unnecessary purchases and save money in the process. 

Downtime can be an expensive problem on budget and deadline driven construction projects. CMMS schedules asset maintenance at the best time according to the project schedule thereby ensuring unforeseen breakdowns are less likely to occur. Less downtime means less overtime and more money saved in the process. 

Increased return on asset investment

Machinery is expensive and this is not different on a construction site, it is only natural for businesses to want the best from the investments before it is put out of commission. Through a thorough and detailed collection of the maintenance history and careful inspection and maintenance, all aided by a CMMS system, construction companies can ensure that they are getting the best out of their aging investments and employing responsible and less wasteful businesses practices in the process.  
CMMS systems on construction sites should be as vital as hard hats and hammers, it is an indispensable tool that can easily be implemented on projects to provide businesses with the benefits stated above.