MAINTENANCE GUIDE · 7 MIN READ
How to Prioritise Maintenance Jobs
Priority should describe the required response to risk, not who shouts loudest. A small number of clear levels works better than a complicated scoring system nobody trusts.Criticality is not priority
Asset criticality describes the consequence of losing the asset. Job priority describes the urgency of this specific condition. A cosmetic defect on a critical machine may still be low priority; an electrical safety defect on a minor asset may be critical.
Use a short decision sequence
Ask whether there is immediate safety or environmental exposure, whether production or service is stopped, whether the condition will rapidly worsen and whether a temporary control is effective. Record the reasoning for unusual decisions.
- Immediate safety risk?
- Operation stopped?
- Quality or compliance at risk?
- Damage escalating?
- Temporary control available?
Define each colour and response
Use red for critical work requiring immediate control, orange for high work requiring prompt planning, green for normal planned work and a neutral treatment for low or deferred improvements. Avoid decorative colours that conflict with status meaning.
Reassess waiting work
A job waiting for parts is not actively in progress. Keep the status honest, retain the original priority and reassess if the condition or temporary control changes.
| Priority | Typical condition | Expected response |
|---|---|---|
| Critical | Immediate safety risk or stopped critical process | Control now |
| High | Serious degradation or near-term production risk | Plan promptly |
| Medium | Manageable defect with stable controls | Schedule normally |
| Low | Improvement or cosmetic issue | Bundle or defer |
PUT THE PROCESS INTO PRACTICE
See work-order priority and status control
Explore the product page →COMMON QUESTIONS
Clear answers.
Should overdue work turn red?+
Overdue is a timing state, not automatically a critical priority. Use a clear overdue indicator while retaining the job's risk priority.
Can operators set priority?+
They can suggest urgency, but the maintenance process should apply consistent definitions and allow authorised review.