Run-to-Failure Maintenance
Run-to-failure maintenance is a deliberate strategy in which selected equipment is allowed to operate until functional failure before repair or replacement.
What this term means in maintenance
Run-to-failure maintenance is a deliberate strategy in which selected equipment is allowed to operate until functional failure before repair or replacement.
When run-to-failure can be appropriate
Run-to-failure may be reasonable when:
- Failure is safe
- The item is non-critical
- Failure is easy to detect
- Replacement is quick
- Spare parts are available
- Consequential damage is unlikely
- Preventive work costs more than failure
Practical example
A low-cost indicator lamp with no safety or production consequence may be replaced only after it fails.
Run-to-failure is a planned decision
The organization should still define:
- Which assets use the strategy
- Failure consequences
- Spare-parts requirements
- Response method
- Responsibility
- Acceptable downtime
- Review conditions
When it is unsuitable
Do not use run-to-failure when failure can create unacceptable safety, environmental, quality, compliance, or production consequences.
Common mistake
Allowing equipment to fail because maintenance was not planned is not a run-to-failure strategy. It is uncontrolled reactive maintenance.
Related concepts
Related maintenance terms
Keep exploring connected CMMS, reliability, and maintenance planning terms.
Breakdown Maintenance
Breakdown maintenance is repair work performed after an asset has failed and can no longer perform its required function.
Asset Criticality
Asset criticality is a structured assessment of how strongly an asset failure could affect safety, environment, quality, production, compliance, cost, and recovery.
Critical Asset
A critical asset is equipment whose failure could create an unacceptable impact on safety, environment, product quality, compliance, production, or business continuity.
Run-to-Failure Maintenance FAQs
- When is run-to-failure acceptable?
When failure is safe, non-critical, easy to detect, quick to recover, and unlikely to cause consequential damage.
- Is run-to-failure the same as neglect?
No. It is a deliberate strategy with defined assets, spares, response, and accepted consequences.
- Should critical assets use run-to-failure?
Usually not, unless a detailed risk assessment shows the failure consequence is adequately controlled.