An enterprise risk management framework for evaluation of eMaintenance

Abstract

Maintenance is one approach to managing risk by a reduction of the probability of failure of technical systems and/or the consequences of their failure. However, history has shown that erroneous maintenance also can lead to reduced quality, incidents and accidents with extensive losses. Today, eMaintenance promises great opportunities for a paradigm shift from a rather narrow, condition-based maintenance approach with focus on a technical system’s health to a true risk-based maintenance approach that also considers organizational excellence. This is achieved by proper information logistic solutions that address the needs of all stakeholders of the maintenance process, which are possible due to new and innovative information and communication technology (ICT). However, all opportunities are also linked with some threats, which are seldom highlighted in the case of eMaintenance. In this article, a risk management framework for evaluation of eMaintenance solutions is proposed. The framework is based on a combination of international standards (e.g. ISO 31000, ISO/IEC 27000, and IEC (2004) 60300-3-14) to achieve integrated Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) and enable a linkage of eMaintenance to the strategic goals of an organization. The framework is illustrated in the railway context of Trafikverket (2010b) (the Swedish Transport Administration).