5 clever ways to use labor tasks

Lab overview

Variation in maintenance processes can creep in when maintenance technicians are under pressure or let their concentration lapse. It is well documented that the elimination of variation in processes through standardized checklists or visual operating procedures can reduce the chances of error and adverse events. 

Standardization of work practices through checklists ensures everyone performs the same job in the same way every time, and no steps are missed. Standardizing the way we work leads to increases in reliability and performance. When you standardized organizational processes, quality and reliability increases, while variation and cost decreases.

Here are 5 great ways of using Task Groups in Fiix:


1. Scheduled maintenance checklists

When used on scheduled maintenance, task groups are the checklist of items that need to be completed during the PM. Task Groups standardize the way of completing the PM, ensuring no steps are missed. If additional steps are added to the task list, they propagate down to all PMs. To add checklists to PMs:

1. Create your task group:


2. Pull the task group into the PM by using the Multi-Add icon on the bottom left-hand side of the Labor Tasks window  


3. When the task group has been added, it is still tied to the master task group so any changes made to the task group, will propagate down to the PM.


2. Automated checklists

It is possible to assign task groups to specific asset categories. By assigning the task group to the asset category, every time a work order or PM is created on any asset in that category, the checklist will auto populate.

This will come in very useful when you want to auto assign particular steps to each work order on a particular asset type. For example, every time your technicians open up the laser system for a repair, you want them to perform a back to production checklist

1. Create the back to production checklist using task groups as outlined in Create a Task Group procedure.


2. Navigate to the Asset Category tab, and click the New button to add an Asset Category.

Note: - You can also check the checkbox to include child asset categories.

3. Next time a work order is created on any assets in the Machining Equipment category, the back to production task group is automatically included.


3. Standardized repair procedures

Task groups can be used as procedures for on the fly repairs. For example, every time the band saw blade has reached end of life, we perform a replacement. It is possible to create a procedure for the replacement in task groups as follows:

1. Create the repair procedure in task groups:


2. Pull the repair checklist into the work order when the issue occurs. To add a task group, select Labour Tasks and the large New button.


3. Select the Task Group and assign Users to the tasks.


The task group is added to the work order


4. Visual operating procedures

Visual Operating Procedures are used in many industries to as cognitive aids to guide users through accurate task completion. Administrators the ability to embed videos and graphics on the individual tasks; offering a visual aid for technicians as they complete the task. 


1. Create your task group as outlined above in Create a Task Group Procedure

2. On the individual task, click the + icon to attach files and media


3. It is possible to add diagrams, schematics, files, images, videos etc. In the example below, a video has been added, showing what covers to open during the band saw replacement.


5. Safety checklists

Well documented safety checklists will ensure no safety steps are skipped. In addition, they can be designed to help the technician spot the danger points while carrying out the work. In this safety example, a list of standard checks on the fire extinguisher is documented in a task group. 


This task group can now be included on a safety PM, or Multi-Asset Safety PM like the following:

In this example, the same checklist is used 3 times in the same PM, on 3 separate fire extinguishers. 

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