Maintenance Contractors Research Articles

Workforce forecasting in the building maintenance and repair work: Evaluating machine learning and LSTM models

Effective workforce forecasting is critical to strategic management in construction projects, particularly ensuring staffing is optimized for efficient and timely project completion. This aspect holds particular importance in densely populated urban environments, where the complexity and scale of high-rise building construction exacerbate the need for proactive maintenance strategies. This research aims to compare the efficacy of various machine learning models, including support vector machine (SVM), extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), gradient-boosted decision trees (GBDT), and multi-layer perceptron (MLP) models, in predicting the workforce demand for building maintenance and repair work. Accordingly, 128 sets of data composed of seven indicators collected from the Hong Kong building maintenance and repair contractors were curated to serve as input-dependent variables to forecast the demands for different labor categories in addition to the overall workforce demands. The performance metrics for the four machine learning models were evaluated using mean absolute error (MAE), mean squared error (MSE), root mean squared error (RMSE), and determination coefficient (R2), with GridSearch employed to optimize their hyperparameters for enhanced predictive accuracy. The evaluation using MAE, MSE, RMSE, and R2 revealed that the XGBoost model achieved the most favorable results for predicting workforce demand on the testing sets (0.1790, 0.0582, 0.2412, 0.9915). Compared to MLP (0.1828, 0.0775, 0.2783, 0.8821) and GBDT (0.1828, 0.0828, 0.2878, 0.8739), XGBoost demonstrated a stronger performance in this specific task. Furthermore, the study also explored the potential of a long short-term memory (LSTM) model to forecast the gross value of building maintenance and repair work undertaken by main contractors, which strongly correlates with workforce demand. This approach aimed to capture the consistent growth trend observed across various maintenance activities. Consequently, the models developed in this study serve as valuable tools for optimizing workforce allocation and financial planning, particularly in dynamic and ever-changing environments.

Providing optimal care in the neonatal care units in India: How Covid-19 exacerbated existing barriers.

Nearly one quarter (600,000) of all neonatal deaths worldwide per year occur in India. To reduce neonatal mortality, the Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare established neonatal care units, including neonatal intensive care units and specialized neonatal care units to provide immediate care at birth, resuscitation for asphyxiation, postnatal care, follow up for high-risk newborns, immunization, and referral for additional or complex healthcare services. Despite these efforts, neonatal mortality remains high, and measures taken to reduce mortality have been severely challenged by multiple problems caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. In this qualitative study, we conducted seven focus group discussions with newborn care unit nurses and pediatric residents and 35 key informant interviews with pediatricians, residents, nurses, annual equipment maintenance contractors, equipment manufacturers, and Ministry personnel in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra between December 2019 and November 2020. The goal of the study was to understand barriers and facilitators to providing optimal care to neonates, including the challenges imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic. Covid-19 exacerbated existing barriers to providing optimal care to neonates in these newborn care units. As a result of Covid-19, we found the units were even more short-staffed than usual, with trained pediatric nurses and essential equipment diverted from newborn care to attend to patients with Covid-19. Regular training of neonatal nursing staff was also disrupted due to Covid-19, leaving many staff without the skills to provide optimate care to neonates. Infection control was also exacerbated by Covid-19. This study highlights the barriers to providing optimal care for neonates were made even more challenging during Covid-19 because of the diversion of critically important neonatal equipment and staff trained to use that equipment to Covid-19 wards. The barriers at the individual, facility, and systems levels will remain challenging as the Covid-19 pandemic continues.

Framework for Strategic Selection of Maintenance Contractors

Selecting the right maintenance contractor is crucial for efficient operation and project success. Traditionally, this selection has been cost-driven, but the ever-growing complexity of projects has led to a shift towards best-value selection. The best value selection criteria evaluate the contractors based on factors like experience and past performance, along with the proposed cost. However, this approach lacks substantiated knowledge of these factors and often includes factors that cannot be validated at the time of procurement. This paper proposes a framework that applies the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) to the maintenance contractor selection process. A detailed literature review was carried out to identify factors involved in maintenance selection. Data were collected from experts through a questionnaire developed based on the identified factors, facilitating AHP implementation. Substantiation strategies were identified using expert judgments. Our findings reveal that past performance criteria hold the maximum weight in the selection process. The proposed framework offers a more comprehensive approach for selecting maintenance contractors, ensuring both value and efficiency.

EVALUATING THE MANAGEMENT AND MAINTENANCE PRACTICES OF LINEAR ACCELERATOR AND COBALT-60 CANCER TREATMENT MACHINES IN NIGERIA: A COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT

This research paper investigated the state of radiotherapy machines and their management in cancer treatment centers in Nigeria. The study aimed to identify the challenges faced by these centers and propose strategies for improvement. Through a comprehensive analysis of data collected from surveys and questionnaires, critical issues impacting the availability, reliability, and effectiveness of radiotherapy machines were highlighted. The findings revealed a significant shortage of radiotherapy machines across the nation, with Nigeria having less than 6% of the required number of linacs. This scarcity led to a high workload on the existing machines, resulting in long waiting lists and compromised treatment outcomes. Management challenges, such as the absence of preventive maintenance policies, inadequate personnel training, delayed spare parts delivery, and limited engagement of maintenance contractors, were identified. The research emphasized the need for supportive cancer treatment machines, including orthovoltage and superficial machines, to alleviate the burden on existing radiotherapy machines. However, most centers lacked these supportive machines, limiting their ability to provide comprehensive care to patients. Financial sustainability also emerged as a significant concern, as internal funds proved insufficient for maintenance and operations. The involvement of the government and the establishment of independent regulatory bodies were proposed to address these challenges. In conclusion, this study called for urgent action to address the gaps and challenges in radiotherapy machine management in Nigeria. It highlighted the importance of increasing the number of machines, implementing preventive maintenance policies, enhancing staff training, and securing adequate funding. By doing so, the quality of cancer care could be significantly improved, leading to better patient outcomes and a more robust healthcare system in Nigeria.

Aligning expectations and perceptions of elevator maintenance stakeholders: an application of expectation confirmation theory

ABSTRACT A seamless performance of elevators is necessary for building owners (BOs) as it promotes end-user satisfaction, thus, they form some expectations from elevator maintenance contractors (EMCs). Coherence between the expectations of BOs and perceptions of EMCs promotes BOs satisfaction and facilitates the end users. This research aims to compare the opinions of the BOs with EMCs. Using the premise of expectation confirmation theory, the expectations of BOs from EMCs were determined by conducting a content analysis of ‘Requests for proposals (RFPs) ’. Afterwards, statistical analysis was conducted on questionnaire survey to determine the perceptions of EMCs regarding these expectations. Main expectations of BO include prompt response to callbacks, adequate equipment performance, effective execution of assigned duties and responsibilities, and attaining the specified performance thresholds. Questionnaire analysis revealed that apart from callbacks, the remaining three expectations were wholeheartedly received by the EMCs. Besides, several duties signifying these expectations were not considered essential by the EMCs. This research contributes to the literature by identifying the expectations of BOs and the perceptions regarding the same from EMCs perspective. Hence, BOs can emphasize more on those expectations in the RFPs and EMCs can align their maintenance strategies with BOs expectations.

A computationally inexpensive method to outsource facility maintenance services through the internet in real-time

The paper introduces a real-time framework for selecting maintenance contractors to address building facility breakdowns promptly and cost-effectively. A faster and resource-efficient approach utilizing a Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) method is proposed to achieve this. The method optimizes contractor selection by leveraging structured linked data and integrating maintenance into the Internet of Things (IoT) framework, reducing processing time. Implemented initially for elevator systems, this framework can be extended to other mechanical and electrical systems in buildings. It consists of three modules: the building's integrated data module, the application module, and the maintenance provider module. The first module integrates building databases through structured linked data, establishing a centralized information source. The second module employs mixed integer linear programming to select contractors based on cost, time, previous services quality score, and maintenance urgency. The third module facilitates communication between contractors and the building facility manager, enabling maintenance requests and offers. The MILP model considers budget and time constraints, as well as maintenance urgency to prioritize immediate maintenances. A case study demonstrates that this model offers a fast and effective information processing solution. The results indicate that the proposed framework significantly reduces decision-making time for facility managers, streamlining contractor selection. Furthermore, compared to conventional methods, this framework provides a more efficient and effective automated maintenance decision-making solution, thus making a valuable contribution to the field of building maintenance management.

Factors Affecting Maintenance Practises in Iraq’s Hospital Buildings

A lack of adequate building maintenance is a significant obstacle faced by governmental hospitals. This paper evaluates factors that negatively impact building-maintenance practices in Iraq. A literature review was conducted to identify factors affecting maintenance. A list of 42 factors affecting hospital-buildings was collected from previous studies and tested using a structured questionnaire distributed to hospital-maintenance experts. During the data analysis, 76 valid questionnaires were used. Based on the respondents’ ratings, the relative-importance index (RII) was used to determine the level of importance of each factor. From the results, it was concluded that twelve factors affect maintenance practices in hospital buildings: faulty design (0.889), lack of funding (0.874), inadequate training (0.871), misuse of building facilities (0.866), construction errors (0.863), lack of work experience (0.858), building age (0.826), individual modifications carried out by the hospital staff (0.826), shortage of maintenance staff (0.824), administrative corruption (0.821), selection of unqualified maintenance contractors (0.816) and unavailability of skilled appointed maintenance personnel (0.808). Understanding these factors’ effects is essential for maintenance-department managers to develop strategies for maintaining hospital buildings in Iraq by controlling them, as well as identifying problems and finding appropriate solutions to avoid them. KEYWORDS: Governmental hospitals, Maintenance, Iraq, Building maintenance, Maintenance practices, Factors affecting maintenance

Railway maintenance reservation scheduling considering detouring delays and maintenance demand

Railway maintenance works are performed to reduce the probability of the occurrence of a failure on the components of the railway infrastructure. The scheduling of maintenance work is important in supporting the normal daily operation of the railway. By proper maintenance scheduling, operational hindrance in terms of extra travel costs due to detouring can be minimized. In addition, contractors can be given more space to execute maintenance activities with more flexibility. This study aims to optimize the maintenance schedules for both train operators and maintenance contractors by considering hindrance and flexibility for both stakeholders, respectively. This study tries to achieve this by modeling important factors contributing to both objectives and relevant constraints in a multi-objective optimization problem. The methods presented for solving the multi-objective model are the ɛ-constraint method and NSGA-II. Two path finding algorithms are modified to consider train travel limitations and are used to support the solutions methods. Both solution strategies are initially tested on fictive networks to analyze the performance. In a case study, the Dutch railway network is assessed and used to create new maintenance schedules based on the new model.

Sustainable renovation of non-profit housing in the Netherlands: from projects to programs

Dutch policies to reach a CO2 neutral housing stock in 2050 force housing associations to realise higher renovation rates at lower costs. The potential for standardisation in renovation processes of the housing stock is huge. Practice shows that an increasing number of housing associations bundle their individual maintenance and sustainable renovation projects in renovation programs for two or more years. Programs that are then implemented in strategic partnerships with maintenance contractors. This paper clarifies the rationale behind this development, sketches internal and external factors that encourage and hinder this development and presents the effects of the shift from projects to programs. The paper contributes to the scientific body of knowledge of public clients in construction collaborating with market parties. The research provides housing associations and contractors tools for the implementation of successful partnerships. The paper is based on an explorative literature review and case-studies of strategic partnerships in this field. The findings show that strategic partnering in housing renovation programs increases the renovation rates of individual housing associations. Also the tenants’ satisfaction with the renovation process is high. Trust is key in the collaboration between the strategic partners. Hindering factors are the realisation of the necessary culture and organizational changes on both the supply and demand side.

Maintenance outsourcing and safety. Case study of disorganization phenomena in a reticular organization

Maintenance activities expose operators involved to multiple risks. These activities are also very largely outsourced. Yet, relationships between maintenance outsourcing and health and safety are still poorly documented and real outsourced maintenance operations have only rarely been observed. The purpose of this paper is to extend knowledge of this area and understand the so-called disorganization phenomena of Quinlan et al. by examining in-situ outsourcing strategies and identifying and analyzing such disorganization situations. To this end, a case study was conducted in a glass manufacturing company, which partially outsources its equipment maintenance. Results from interviews and data triangulation (observations and verbalizations) related to outsourced maintenance operations highlight that this company used a relatively large network of maintenance contractors. Qualitative analyses of four situations, during which a disorganization phenomenon could be identified, reveal various contributing factors and expose the implications for both the working conditions and the health and safety of different players. These findings are specifically discussed in relation to reticular corporate organizations. They prompt a number of suggestions for occupational risk prevention.

Poor power quality is a major barrier to providing optimal care in special neonatal care units (SNCU) in Central India.

Background:Approximately 25% of all neonatal deaths worldwide occur in India. The Indian Government has established Special Neonatal Care Units (SNCUs) in district and sub-district level hospitals to reduce neonatal mortality, but mortality rates have stagnated. Reasons include lack of personnel and training and sub-optimal quality of care. The role of medical equipment is critical for the care of babies, but its role in improving neonatal outcomes has not been well studied. Methods:In a qualitative study, we conducted seven focus group discussions with SNCU nurses and pediatric residents and thirty-five key informant interviews and with pediatricians, residents, nurses, annual equipment maintenance contractors, equipment manufacturers, and Ministry of Health personnel in Maharashtra between December 2019 and November 2020. The goal of the study was to understand challenges to SNCU care. In this paper, we focus on current gaps and future needs for SNCU equipment, quality of the power supply, and use of SNCU equipment. Results:Respondents described a range of issues but highlighted poor power quality as an important cause of equipment malfunction. Other concerns were lack of timely repair that resulted in needed equipment being unavailable for neonatal care. Participants recommended procuring uninterrupted power supply (UPS) to protect equipment, improving quality/durability of equipment to withstand constant use, ensuring regular proactive maintenance for SNCU equipment, and conducting local power audits to discern and address the causes of power fluctuations. Conclusions:Poor power quality and its negative impact on equipment function are major unaddressed concerns of those responsible for the care and safety of babies in SNCUs in Central India. Further research on the power supply and protection of neonatal equipment is needed to determine a cost-effective way to improve access to supportive care in SNCUs and desired improvements in neonatal mortality rates.

Human, Organisational and Societal Factors in Robotic Rail Infrastructure Maintenance

Robotics are set to play a significant role in the maintenance of rail infrastructure. However, the introduction of robotics in this environment requires new ways of working for individuals, teams and organisations and needs to reflect societal attitudes if it is to achieve sustainable goals. The following paper presents a qualitative analysis of interviews with 25 experts from rail and robotics to outline the human and organisational issues of robotics in the rail infrastructure environment. Themes were structured around user, team, organisational and societal issues. While the results point to many of the expected issues of robotics (trust, acceptance, business change), a number of issues were identified that were specific to rail. Examples include the importance of considering the whole maintenance task lifecycle, conceptualizing robotic teamworking within the structures of rail maintenance worksites, the complex upstream (robotics suppliers) and downstream (third-party maintenance contractors) supply chain implications of robotic deployment and the public acceptance of robotics in an environment that often comes into direct contact with passenger and people around the railways. Recommendations are made in the paper for successful, human-centric rail robotics deployment.

Pros and cons of non‐sparking tools

AbstractAn explosion occurred on December 23, 2021 at the ExxonMobil Baytown Complex, Baytown, TX., USA. Within a week, a lawsuit was filed claiming that a contractor “using a wrench essentially as a hammer, created a spark causing the flammable gas to ignite.” This event served as an incentive to remind readers of Process Safety Progress of situations where non‐sparking tools are required by Code for work in specific flammable environments, along with the pros and cons surrounding their more general use. The potential for metal impact sparks can be overlooked by inexperienced maintenance workers, contractors, engineers, and other personnel unaware of all the hazards of working in flammable atmospheres. The debate about whether a truly “non‐sparking” tool exists or whether a metal–metal impact spark is a significant ignition hazard, other than for easily ignitable gases and other special cases, is beyond the scope of this article. Instead, we provide a discussion of potential and recognized hazards with reference to applicable Codes and Regulations.

Investigation and Improvements of the Existing Best-Value Selection Criteria for Elevator Maintenance Contractors

AbstractThe selection of appropriate maintenance contractors is essential for seamless and uninterrupted availability of elevators. Best value (BV) procurement with well-defined selection criteria ...

A fuzzy-TOPSIS model for maintenance outsourcing considering the quality of submitted tender documents

The paper provides a multiple-experts Fuzzy-TOPSIS decision-making model for the selection among maintenance contractors based on the quality of tendering documents. The study introduces a set of selection criteria utilizing benefit and cost criteria from literature. The proposed model aggregates subjective linguistic assessments of multiple experts that express their opinions on the degree of importance of criteria and allows multiple decisionmakers to evaluate the compliance of contractors’ documents. For a case study, the model is applied to select among contractors tendering to maintain the heavy-duty cranes of an international steel company from literature. Several decision-making scenarios are investigated, and major changes in the final decision are observed. The changes in obtained results illustrate the need to better address uncertainties in rating and tendering an overqualified contractor at a higher cost.

Improving railway maintenance schedules by considering hindrance and capacity constraints

The availability of railway networks is important for society and the economy. To keep the infrastructure in good condition, regular maintenance is needed. Regular maintenance is achieved by devising maintenance schedules that assign safe work zones to crews executing preventive maintenance activities. This study aims to optimize the maintenance schedules for both train operators and maintenance contractors, by considering (a) hindrance for parked passenger trains and planned freight trains, and (b) the workload for track workers. Further, maintenance operations are distinguished into different engineering fields (switches, straight tracks, and overhead wiring) since this influences the amount of hindrance. The method presented for designing maintenance schedules is a novel mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) model that considers these aspects. In our Dutch case study, we assess our new scheduling model and show that large improvements can be made in terms of mean workload for work crews and total hindrance for train operators. We also assess the computational costs when using exact (branch-and-bound) or metaheuristic solution methods for solving networks with up to 25 work zones.

Integrating BIM into sensor-based facilities management operations

Integrating BIM into sensor-based facilities management operations

Assessing the role and significance of project selection by the contractors in the Saudi construction industry

Abstract Introduction Construction companies hold great significance in Saudi Arabia due to new developments taking place in the region. A project automatically turns out better if it has been selected based on the level of expertise and resources available to the construction company and vice versa. Purpose The study aims to investigate the importance of project selection by the contractors within the Saudi construction industry. Methodology The study has employed a quantitative research design to conduct a survey through the administration of questionnaire. A total of 46 employees from construction companies were selected. A questionnaire was distributed among maintenance contractors, contractors, and construction contractors. Findings The findings have shown that mostly organizations were unclassified or classified under the fifth category (projects valuing AED10,000,000 or lesser) (34.8%). Most of the respondents (94.4%) agreed that consideration of the project selection is important. Moreover, there is a positive correlation between the level of importance given to the project selection and the organizational size of the respondents. Success factors play an important role in the project selection phase. Practical implications Careful project selection is the first step toward the success of the construction company, so it needs to be carried out carefully.

Client Satisfaction with Public Housing Maintenance Contractors: A Case Study of Nairobi City County

Coupled with the challenge of housing shortage in view of the growing urban population in Nairobi City County currently at 4.4 Million, the public housing sector is faced with deteriorating quality housing particularly for the low income residents and Public residential units, characterized by a poor state of maintenance. The foregoing points to an infringement of the right of access to adequate and decent housing as a basic right for every Kenyan as entrenched in the bill of rights in the constitution of Kenya, 2010. In an effort to transform the foregoing scenario, the County Government of Nairobi, through its Urban Renewal, Housing and Projects Management sector procures maintenance and other technical services from private sector contractors for renovation of old NCCG housing units and public housing amenities including water and sanitation, among other services. It however remains unexplored in the Kenyan body of knowledge, the extent to which NCCG is satisfied with the maintenance services by private contractors. Against this backdrop, the study set out to assess client satisfaction with public housing maintenance contractors with reference to Nairobi City County. The study adopted the descriptive study design, sampling 43 staff from NCCG’s, Urban Renewal, Housing and Projects Management sector. data was collected by use of structured questionnaires and analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings indicate that the maintenance strategy adopted has a significant effect (β=.332, P value=.050=.05) on client satisfaction with service delivery by public housing maintenance contractors. The study however found that the procurement method adopted does not have a significant effect (β=.078, P value=.639>.05) on client satisfaction with service delivery by public housing maintenance contractors. The study recommends a combination of preventive, predictive and condition-based maintenance as they assure the longevity of public houses and avoidance of longer term costly and frequent renovations.

Guidelines for integrating process safety into engineering projects

AbstractThis article describes a new guideline book that the Center for Chemical Process Safety has published on integrating process safety into engineering projects. Engineering projects in the process industry are temporary endeavors generally undertaken to create a new or modified facility and vary widely in scope and size ranging from large capital projects to small management of change works. The main focus of the guidelines is on proactively implementing process safety activities at the optimum timeframe, while also reactively conducting “cold eyes” reviews to provide assurance that nothing significant has been missed. This approach ensures that if the right process safety activities are conducted at the right time, project leadership will have the right (process safety) information in order to be able to make the right risk management decisions regarding safety. Process safety in engineering projects involves leadership, managers, engineers, operating and maintenance personnel, contractors, vendors, suppliers, and support staff. Therefore, these guidelines were prepared for a wide audience.