Purpose of the Role

To perform planned preventive maintenance, inspections, testing, troubleshooting, and minor repairs on electrical equipment and systems to ensure safe, reliable, and efficient operation of plant machinery, utilities, and facility infrastructure.

Key Responsibilities

1. Preventive Maintenance Activities

• Execute scheduled preventive maintenance tasks according to maintenance plans and SOPs.

• Inspect electrical equipment for wear, damage, overheating, vibration, corrosion, and abnormal conditions.

• Clean, lubricate, tighten, and adjust electrical components where applicable.

• Replace worn or defective electrical components during PM activities.

• Complete PM checklists and maintenance reports accurately.

2. Electrical Equipment Inspection

Inspect and maintain:

• LV and MV switchgear

• Distribution boards and MCCs

• Motors and motor control circuits

• Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs)

• PLC panels and control systems

• Transformers

• UPS systems

• Lighting systems

• Power and control cabling

• Earthing and bonding systems

• Electrical instrumentation and sensors

3. Testing and Verification

Conduct routine electrical testing, including:

• Voltage measurements

• Current measurements

• Insulation resistance testing

• Earth continuity testing

• Phase balance verification

• Thermal scanning (where applicable)

• Verify proper operation of protection devices and control circuits.

4. Fault Identification and Rectification

• Identify and report equipment abnormalities discovered during inspections.

• Perform basic troubleshooting and corrective actions within authorized limits.

• Escalate major faults requiring engineering support.

• Assist maintenance and engineering teams during breakdown investigations.

5. Safety Compliance

• Follow all electrical safety regulations and company procedures.

• Adhere to Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) requirements before performing maintenance.

• Ensure compliance with permit-to-work systems.

• Use appropriate PPE for electrical work.

• Maintain a safe and clean working environment.

6. Documentation and Reporting

• Record maintenance activities in the CMMS or maintenance management system.

• Document findings, repairs, and recommendations.

• Report recurring failures and equipment reliability concerns.

• Update equipment history records.

7. Continuous Improvement

• Recommend improvements to PM procedures and maintenance schedules.

• Participate in root cause analysis activities.

• Support reliability improvement projects.

• Contribute to equipment uptime and maintenance cost reduction initiatives.

Daily PM Technician Tasks

• Review PM schedule and work orders.

• Conduct equipment inspections.

• Perform electrical testing and measurements.

• Tighten loose electrical connections.

• Check motor and drive performance.

• Inspect control panels and PLC cabinets.

• Complete maintenance documentation.

• Report safety hazards and equipment defects.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• PM Schedule Compliance (%)

• PM Completion Rate

• Equipment Availability/Uptime

• Breakdown Reduction

• Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF)

• Maintenance Quality Compliance

• Safety Compliance (Zero Incidents)

• Work Order Closure Rate

Required Skills and Competencies

• Electrical maintenance and troubleshooting.

• Reading electrical schematics and wiring diagrams.

• Use of electrical test instruments.

• Understanding of motors, drives, PLCs, and industrial control systems.

• Knowledge of electrical safety standards.

• CMMS utilization.

• Strong problem-solving ability.

• Good communication and teamwork skills.

Typical Deliverables

• Completed PM work orders.

• Inspection reports.

• Electrical test records.

• Equipment condition reports.

• Corrective action recommendations.

• Safety compliance documentation.

Scope Statement

The PM Technician is responsible for executing preventive maintenance tasks on electrical equipment and systems, ensuring equipment reliability, minimizing downtime, maintaining safety compliance, and supporting continuous improvement initiatives within the maintenance department.

Minimum Education

• Matric
• National Diploma, N6, Trade Certificate, or equivalent qualification in:
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Electromechanical Engineering
  • Industrial Electrical Systems
  • Electrical Maintenance