Preventing Machine Failures: Overcoming the “Tomorrow” Mentality in Lubrication Maintenance

In this installment of the Reliability Forum, Jim Fitch, Chairman of Noria, shares expert insights on maintaining machinery lubrication.

Lubrication is a continuous commitment. When tasks feel routine, they’re easy to overlook—especially if they lack the excitement of more rewarding work. This intentional or unconscious neglect stems from a lack of structure, measurable goals, and meaningful incentives.

When preventive maintenance (PM) is delayed, it can become a habit that erodes quality, punctuality, and a culture of reliability. The resulting “tomorrow” mentality creates a vicious cycle. Common lubrication symptoms include:

• Fluctuating oil levels
• Unperformed or unreported inspections
• Late or missed filter and breather changes
• Inadequate or improperly collected oil samples
• Delayed oil changes
• Bearings that don’t receive timely grease

Forgetting any of the five rights of lubrication—right oil or grease, right place, right time, right contamination control, and right operating temperature—is tantamount to inviting preventable failures. We must aim higher.

The Root of the Problem: Culture, Structure, and Behavior

After a machine stoppage, root‑cause analysis often reveals an omitted routine task as the culprit. The real issue lies beyond the individual; it reflects deeper cultural gaps, inadequate processes, and a focus on short‑term financial targets over long‑term reliability.

Reliability is a long‑term strategy. Maintenance staff need the right tools, training, metrics, and rewards to excel. Simple programmatic adjustments—such as routine exception reports and alert systems—can bring non‑conforming conditions to immediate attention.

Education: The Power of “Why”

Providing detailed instructions is essential, but the real value lies in explaining the rationale behind each task. When technicians understand the “why,” they are more likely to embrace and execute responsibilities.

Overtime and the Power of Pay

Negative reinforcement—punishing forgetfulness—has proven ineffective. Instead, consider a reward structure that aligns maintenance performance with financial outcomes.

One innovative approach: Allocate a fixed amount of proactive overtime pay (e.g., 500 hours) to maintenance staff at the start of the fiscal year. The pay is guaranteed, but the hours are only required if the technicians need them to keep machines running. This turns overtime into a shared incentive: the better the reliability, the less overtime the team actually works, while the company enjoys higher asset utilization and lower repair costs.

There are many ways to create mutual benefits when machinery is vigilantly maintained. While motivation can’t be forced, positive incentives and clear purpose can drive consistent performance.

Remember: we tend to do what we enjoy or that rewards us. By reframing maintenance as a rewarding, purposeful activity, we can break the “tomorrow” cycle and secure long‑term reliability.