Preventive Maintenance Checklist

A preventive maintenance checklist (also called a planned preventive maintenance or PPM checklist) is a structured list of the routine tasks needed to keep building plant and equipment running reliably and safely, organised by how often each task is done — daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annually. It helps FM teams plan, carry out, and evidence maintenance before equipment fails.

None — 'preventive maintenance' and 'preventative maintenance' are two spellings of the same thing. Both refer to scheduled maintenance carried out to prevent failures, as opposed to reactive maintenance carried out after something breaks. In the UK the terms are used interchangeably, often alongside 'planned preventive maintenance' (PPM).

A PM (preventive maintenance) checklist is the same as a preventive maintenance checklist — a list of the recurring tasks needed to keep equipment in good working order, grouped by frequency. Each completed checklist also serves as a maintenance record, which is important evidence for compliance and audits.

Start with an asset register of what plant you have, then define the tasks and frequencies for each asset — often based on a recognised standard like SFG20 and the manufacturer's requirements — and load them into a CAFM system as recurring work orders. This page provides a generic frequency-based checklist to start from, and our equipment-specific checklists give the detailed tasks for each asset type.

It depends on the asset, its criticality, and any statutory requirements. Some checks are daily or weekly (fire alarm tests, plant walkrounds), others monthly or quarterly (filters, emergency lighting, sensor checks), and major servicing and statutory tasks are usually annual. The right frequencies come from standards like SFG20, manufacturer guidance, and your risk assessment.