Repulic of the Philippines

Provincial Government of Zamboanga del Norte

Liloy Integrated Health District Hospital
Liloy, Zamboanga del Norte

Policies and Procedures of Equipment Maintenance

I. Purpose

The purpose of this Policy is to ensure that all of the equipment’s are maintained effectively.
The maintenance/repair funds are utilized to achieve the greatest benefit on the Hospital in
order to maximize the useful life of the equipment.

The Policy also aims to provide our customers and staff with the best support services and to
ensure that all maintenance activities are carried out in a planned manner and consistent with
Hospital’s Standards. Within the constraints of available resources, the equipment will be
maintained to the best standard possible while meeting statutory obligations and the
operational needs of the Hospital to the community.

II. Definition of Terms

Maintenance - Work performed to a facility or the fixed systems and building service
equipment therein, for the purpose of maintaining quality and function.

Planned maintenance - Upkeep of property, machinery, and equipments. It is often

characterized by its routine or recurring nature.

Preventive Maintenance - Planned actions undertaken to retain an item at a specified level

of performance by providing repetitive scheduled tasks that prolong system operation and
useful life: inspection, cleaning, lubrication, and part replacement.

Repairs: The reconstruction or renewal of any part of an existing equipment for the purpose

III. Scope of Work

1. Maintenance and troubleshoot of any minor defects towards a malfunctioning Electric

Fan and Ceiling Fan;

2. Cleaning the Hospital’s Air Conditioning Units;

3. Maintenance of the Hospital’s Generator; and

4. Cleaning and preparation of Autoclave Equipment’s;

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IV. General Operating Systems

The heart of any preventive maintenance programed is a schedule that calls for the regular
servicing of all systems. The development of this schedule begins with the identification of
each item or equipment that must be checked and serviced, the date it must be serviced and
the individual responsible for the work. The servicing intervals and tasks for each system
must be included in the schedule. Shown below are proposed the schedule of preventive and
corrective maintenance of Equipment.

PREVENTIVE and CORRECTIVE MAINTENANCE of EQUIPMENT

Types of Equipment Problem Encountered Action Taken

Autoclave  Valves (Steam) -Steam
causes valves to require
maintenance more often
than air, water or exhaust.
 Valves (Air) - May not
require replacement but
should be inspected.
 Heating Coils - Water
quality and ongoing
maintenance, including
blow-down, can affect
longevity.
 Steam Traps - May not
require replacement but
should be inspected.
 Contactors-Replacement
will depend greatly on
usage.
 Safety Valves - Replace as
recommended by local
regulatory authorities;
may only require testing
or inspection.
 Controls - When protected
from excessive heat and
moisture, should last the
life of the unit.
 Vacuum pump - Under
normal circumstances and
loads should last the life
of the unit.
 Door Lock Assembly - On
hinged door autoclaves,
 Door gaskets should be
kept clean and regularly
checked for cracks and
pitting due to
deterioration.
 Door clamps and door
locks should be checked
for proper operation, and
lubricated with high-
temperature grease. The
proper operation of the
pressure locking device
should be determined.
 Valve discs and seats
must be inspected for
signs of wear or cutting.
 Pressure gauges and
thermometers should be
checked periodically
against a known
standard.
 Adequate functioning of
autoclaves should be
checked weekly by the
use of a biological (spore
suspension) or chemical
indicator.
 The function of
manometers must be
checked every 3 months.

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 Types of Equipment Problem Encountered Action Taken
check the door locking
mechanism. May not
require replacement but
should be inspected.
Balances If good working practices  For all beam balances
are observed, there should be  Check balance is
no special hazards. When levelled.
simple balances have been  Check that all control
used for weighing or knobs are properly fitted.
balancing biological  Check zeroing device.
samples, it is  Check positioning of
prudent to disinfect the beam.
balance pans by swabbing  Check with both high
with 70% ethanol (700 ml/I). and low mass calibrating
weights.
 For optical balances
 As above for beam
balances. Then:
 Make sure all
counterbalancing
weights are in place.
 Check with an
appropriate milligram
weight that the optical
scale agrees with
counterbalance weight.

 Read the manufacturer's

service manual carefully,
if it is available.

 With optical balances,

remove covers and
inspect beam and pivots
for freedom of
movement; gentle finger
pressure on the pan may
reveal a "sticky" linkage
or bumper stop.
Batteries Before buying, or accepting  Sometimes, mains or
as a gift, a piece of low voltage powered
equipment that uses equipment might be a
batteries, check better option.
that replacements are readily  When the equipment is
available. Also, remember
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 Types of Equipment Problem Encountered
that batteries are expensive
to buy and can be difficult to
store satisfactorily.
Centrifuge Because centrifuges are
regularly used to prepare
blood and urine samples, it is
recommended that the rotor
bowl, centrifuge head,
buckets and trunnion rings
be disinfected before any
servicing is carried out.
Flame Photometers If good working practices
are observed then the service
personnel are not exposed to
any special biological
hazards. Be careful to follow
the manufacturer's procedure
when lighting and turning
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Action Taken
not in use remove the
batteries, to avoid
possible corrosion and
damage to the
instrument.
Maintenance
 Check lid lock.
 Inspect trunnion rings
and buckets for metal
fatigue.
 Check hinges, control
knobs, rubber feet.
 Check the weight of the
buckets and replace
them in their holders.
The rubber cushions in
the buckets may be lost
or taken out for cleaning
and misplaced, so that
uneven loads occur.
 Even small weight
differences can cause
rapid wear and
degradation of the motor
bearings.
Service
 Inspect brakes for proper
operation.
 Adjust lid lock to ensure
proper operation of the
electrical interlock.
 Check for loose
connections.
 Check carbon brushes
for wear, or lack of
spring tension.
 Check timer (if fitted).
 Grease motor bearings.
Maintenance
 Remove the atomizer
from the instrument and
flush water through it.
 Clean the metal capillary
tube with thin wire to
 Types of Equipment Problem Encountered Action Taken
off the flame. remove fibrin, dried
serum, or plasma. Flush
with water again.
 If there is a built-in
diluting pump, check the
condition of the pump
tubes and replace if
necessary. Check that
the dilution is correct
(approxi-mately) by
preparing a calibrator,
appropriately diluted
using volumetric
glassware, and
comparing it with the
dilution prepared by the
pump. When the display
is erratic, a
volumetrically diluted
calibrant will help to
differentiate between a
faulty pump and
nebulizer/flame stability
problems.
 Poor response may
indicate a faulty
photocell. If other
possible causes have
been eliminated (blocked
atomizer, failed dilutor,
old tubes, faulty power
connections), then
replace the photocell.
Gas cylinders and gases  There is a potential  The operating room and
risk of explosion if equipment should be
diathermy equipment rendered anti-static (it is
or other electrical worth remembering that
apparatus is used in moisture gives anti-static
conjunction with protection).
flammable  Electrical sockets and
anaesthetic gases. switches should be either
 Static electricity may spark-proof, or situated
also trigger an at least 1 metre above
explosion if floor level.
explosive gas  The patient's expired

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 Types of Equipment
Refrigerators/ Compression
Problem Encountered Action Taken
mixtures are present. gases should be carried
 No potential source away from the
of combustion or expiratory valve down a
electrical discharge wide-bore tube at least to
should be allowed the floor (ether is heavier
within 50 cm of an than air), or out of the
expiratory valve operating room. Ensure
through which an that the tube is not
explosive gas kinked or blocked, and
mixture is passing that there are no fire
(e.g., ether/oxygen). sources near its exit
 Diathermy should be point
avoided altogether if
a flammable gas
mixture is in use, and
vice versa.
 Electrical com-  The refrigerator must be
pressor-operated placed so that sufficient
refrigerators and air can flow past the
freezers should be condenser (at the back of
used only where the refrigerator) for
there is a stable and exchange of heat.
reliable electricity  The refrigerator door
supply. must seal perfectly to
 Fluctuations in the prevent warm outside air
voltage, and frequent from entering the cool
power interruptions, chamber.
are likely to result in  The refrigerator must
damage to the have good insulating
compressor. walls.
 Absorption refri-  Clear the cool chamber,
gerators and freezers and defrost the
are preferred in evaporator once a
situations where month.
electricity supply is  Swab inside the cabinet
unreliable. with 70% ethanol while
 Equipment should be it is defrosting.
installed on a flat,  Clean the outside of the
horizontal surface, refrigerator.
preferably slightly  Clean any dust from the
elevated (on pallet or condenser.
feet) to avoid  Clean the door gasket.
accumulation of  Clean the burner, and
water and moisture check for gas leakage..
under the cabinet.
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 Types of Equipment Problem Encountered Action Taken
This will prevent the
formation of rust and
allow easy access for
cleaning.
Water-baths  Circulators should be
regularly disassembled
and cleaned to remove
scale and algae.
 Thermometers must be
checked when they are
received from the
suppliers, and thereafter
every 3 months, against
a known standard (i.e.,
ice/water mixture or
boiling water).
 The functioning of
manometers must be
checked every 3 months.

V. Portable Electric Equipment

1. All cord- and plug- connected electric equipment, flexible cord sets (extension cords),
and portable electric equipment will be handled in a manner that will not cause damage.

2. Flexible electric cords connected to equipment may not be used for raising or lowering
the equipment.

3. Flexible cords may not be fastened with staples or otherwise hung in such a fashion as
could damage the outer jacket or insulation.

4. Portable cord- and plug- connected equipment and flexible cord sets (extension cords)
shall be visually inspected before use and missing pins, or damage to outer jacket or
insulation) and for evidence of possible internal damage (such as pinched or crushed
outer jacket). However, cord- and plug- connected equipment and flexible cord sets
(extension cords) which remain connected once they are put in place and are not exposed
to damage need not be visually inspected until they are relocated.

5. If there is a defect or evidence of damage that might expose an employee to injury, the
defective or damaged item will be removed from service, and no employee may use it
until necessary repair and tests have been made to render the equipment safe.

6. Whenever an attachment plug is to be connected to a receptacle (including any on a cord

set), the relationship of the plug and receptacle contacts will first be checked to ensure
that they are of proper mating configurations.

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 7. A flexible cord used with grounding-type equipment will contain an equipment
grounding conductor.

8. Attachment plugs and receptacles may not be connected or altered In a manner that
would prevent proper continuity of the equipment grounding conductor at the point where
plugs are attached to receptacles. Additionally, those devices may not be altered to allow
the grounding pole of a plug to be inserted into slots intended for connection to the
current carrying conductors.

9. Adapters that interrupt the continuity of the equipment grounding connection may not be
used.
10. Portable electric equipment and flexible cords used in highly conductive work locations
(such as those inundated with water or other conductive liquids), or in job locations
where employees are likely to contact water or conductive liquids.

11. Employees' hands may not be wet when plugging and unplugging flexible cords and cord
and plug-connected equipment, if energized equipment is involved.

12. Energized plug and receptacle connections may be handled only with insulating
protective equipment if the condition of the connection could provide a conducting path
to the employees hand (if, for example, a cord connector is wet from being immersed in
water).
13. Locking-type connectors will be properly secured after connection.

VI. Generator Maintenance

Maintaining a generator is a relatively similar process among the three major types of
engines. First, it is vital to follow the maintenance schedule of the manufacturer with each
type of generator. A routine maintenance practice is that of general inspection. Inspections
consist of checking for leaks, assessing oil and coolant levels, glancing at the belts and hoses
and checking the battery terminals and cables. It is important to inspect the oil as well, as it
must be changed regularly. Oil change frequency depends on the manufacturer, how often
the generator is used and your work environment. Typically, it is recommended you change
the oil after 100 hours of operation, especially if the generator uses diesel.

Generator maintenance requires:

 Annual fuel cleaning and filtering, as diesel fuel degrades quickly. After a few weeks
of operation, diesel fuel degrades via contamination of water and microbes, resulting
in clogged fuel lines and filters. Fuel cleaning involves using biocides annually in all
generators except for the standby generator, in which it will attract moisture.

 The cooling system to be maintained, which requires checking the coolant level at
existing intervals. This must be done during shutdown periods.

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  Checking for battery power; this is especially true for standby generators, as battery
issues are their primary cause of failure. Make sure the batteries are robust and
charged enough to last long so as to not incur any start-up hitches for the generator.

 Regular testing to inform of the battery’s current status. Testing involves checking the
electrolyte levels and specific gravity of the batteries. The batteries themselves also
must be clean

Prepared by: Reviewed by:

RODRIGO A. SARACHO
Designated Hospital Electrician (Name of Immediate Supervisor)
Date:_________ Date:_________