BOMA Property Operations & Life Safety Flashcards

What is a 'preventive maintenance' (PM) program and why is it preferred over reactive maintenance?

Answer: Scheduled maintenance performed at regular intervals to prevent failures, reducing downtime and extending equipment life

Preventive maintenance involves scheduled inspections and servicing of building systems before failures occur, typically reducing total maintenance costs, extending equipment life, and preventing costly emergency repairs and operational disruptions.

What does 'mean time between failures' (MTBF) measure in building systems management?

Answer: The average operating time between equipment failures, used to plan maintenance schedules

MTBF is a reliability metric measuring the average time a piece of equipment operates between failures, helping maintenance teams schedule preventive maintenance at optimal intervals.

What is the primary purpose of a 'computerized maintenance management system' (CMMS)?

Answer: To track, schedule, and document all maintenance activities, work orders, and equipment history

A CMMS enables maintenance teams to create and track work orders, schedule preventive maintenance, maintain equipment records, manage inventory, and generate reports on maintenance performance and costs.

Under OSHA regulations applicable to commercial building operations, what is a 'lockout/tagout' (LOTO) procedure?

Answer: A safety procedure that ensures hazardous energy is isolated and controlled before maintenance work on equipment

LOTO procedures protect maintenance workers from unexpected energization of equipment by requiring energy sources to be isolated (locked out) and tagged before servicing, preventing electrocution, burns, and crushing injuries.

What is 'plumbing backflow prevention' and why is it required in commercial buildings?

Answer: Preventing contaminated water from flowing backward into the potable water supply through cross-connections

Backflow prevention devices protect potable water supplies from contamination by preventing reverse flow from non-potable sources like irrigation systems, industrial equipment, or cooling towers into the drinking water supply.

What does 'asbestos operations and maintenance' (O&M) program require of commercial building managers?

Answer: Managing asbestos-containing materials (ACM) in place through inspection, monitoring, and controlled maintenance to prevent fiber release

An asbestos O&M program manages intact ACM in place rather than immediately removing it, using regular inspection, maintenance protocols, and worker training to prevent fiber release, which is often safer and more cost-effective than removal.