Maintenance documentation

It is recognized by all those involved in the maintenance function that documentation plays a very important role in the design and implementation of maintenance actions on an asset. The same applies to day-to-day operation. But it's important to know what documentation actually means. Documentation must be adapted to the needs of the personnel concerned. In particular, considerable importance should be attached to all documentation intrinsically linked to the equipment, commonly referred to as "operating and maintenance documentation". However, to fulfil its mission and achieve its objectives, the maintenance function will need to use a whole range of other documents, whether of a general nature or adapted to the operation and management of the function.

We will therefore consider all aspects of these documentation needs in the context of a sub-function of the maintenance function: the documentation function, which, as a general rule, is the responsibility of the maintenance methods function.

This approach focuses on the following points:

• type of documents required ;

• document and database design ;

• how to use the documents ;

• document base management ;

• etc.

Each of the above points will require asking the classic questions: What? Who? How? When? Where? Why?

To fully assume its missions and satisfy the needs of its internal customers while respecting mutual objectives, the maintenance function needs to build up a structured document base. The main objective of this database is to make available to authorized persons, preferably in the same geographical location, all documents of any kind which may be useful for the performance of the function. This document base must, of course, be consistent with any quality system procedures in place. It will essentially comprise the following families of documents, which will be described and analyzed in turn:

• general documentation ;

• nomenclature ;

• equipment documentation ;

• management documents.