Understanding deviations from original equipment manufacturers’ maintenance recommendations: reasons, barriers, and benefits

Abstract Understanding why maintenance professionals deviate from OEM maintenance recommendations is essential. These recommendations are crucial for ensuring equipment reliability, safety, and performance over its operational lifecycle. However, deviations from these guidelines are common and can occur for various reasons. This study seeks to enhance maintenance practices by analyzing the reasons for deviations (RFD) from OEM maintenance recommendations, identifying the barriers to adherence (BTA), and exploring the potential benefits (PB) of such deviations. To achieve this objective, a survey was conducted in Port Harcourt, Southern Nigeria, involving 105 maintenance personnel from three maintenance-intensive sectors: Oil and Gas, Energy, and Petrochemicals, the study achieved response rates of, 78%, 82%, and 92% respectively. Through qualitative evaluation of the response data, the research identified cost considerations and operational constraints as primary reasons for non-adherence to OEM guidelines. Respondents highlighted benefits such as cost savings and enhanced equipment availability, citing limited budgets and operational demands as significant barriers to compliance. Comparative analysis across the three deviant factors (RFD, BTA, and PB) underscores the dominance of cost-related factors and operational constraints in driving deviations, alongside technological influences, that both facilitate and impede adherence. Environmental and organizational factors, though influential, exhibit comparatively lesser impact. These findings highlight the significance of aligning maintenance practices with OEM recommendations. This alignment not only enhances equipment reliability and reduces operational risks but also has the potential to improve maintenance practices, foster innovation in the industry, and ultimately optimize equipment performance and reliability in industrial settings.