Emergency vs Planned Maintenance: What’s the Difference?

Emergency maintenance happens when something fails unexpectedly and operations are disrupted. It is often stressful, expensive and poorly documented.

Planned maintenance is scheduled in advance based on manufacturer recommendations, usage patterns and risk.

A healthy facility will still experience occasional emergencies, but the majority of work should be planned.

Tracking the ratio between emergency and planned tasks is a powerful KPI. If more than half your work is reactive, it’s time to review your maintenance strategy.

Shifting towards planned maintenance requires asset registers, service calendars and reliable partners — but the payoff in reduced downtime is significant.

Over time, you’ll notice fewer breakdowns, smoother budgeting and less stress for your operations team.