Skip to content

This Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Best Practices Guide was developed under the direction of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP). The mission of FEMP is to facilitate the Federal Government’s implementation of sound, cost-effective energy management and investment practices to enhance the nation’s energy security and environmental stewardship. Each of these activities is directly related to achieving requirements set forth in:

  • The Energy Policy Act of 2005, which established a number of energy and water management goals for Federal facilities and fleets and also amended portions of the National Energy Conservation Policy Act (NECPA).
  • Executive Order 13423, Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation Management (signed in January 2007). This set more challenging goals than EPAct 2005 and superseded existing executive orders 13123 and 13149.
  • The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, which further established energy, water, and building commissioning management goals and requirements and also amended portions of EPAct 2005 and NECPA. EISA was signed into law in December 2007.
  • Executive Order 13514, Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy and Economic Performance (signed in October of 2009) directs Federal agencies to further address energy, water, and operational efficiency beyond E.O. 13423 with targeted goals and actions.

Release 3.0 of this guide provides updates to Release 2.0 in the areas of O&M technologies, equipment performance, and costs. This new release also addresses water use and the impacts that recommended O&M practices can have on water efficiency.

Ops and Maint Best Practices Guide 3.0_US Dept of Energy 2010

The goal of preventive maintenance, as a component of a facilities maintenance system, is to maximize the useful life of all building systems. Just as maintenance is an aspect of facility management that impacts most other areas of the total facility operation, so to preventive maintenance, as a philosophy, has a broad influence on the total maintenance effort. At its heart, preventive maintenance asks, “What can I do to make this item— be it an automobile, building, or piece of equipment— remain as good as new for as long as practicable?”

Preventive Maint Handbook_Alaska Dept of Educ

This maintenance audit is a review of the maintenance management processes and practices at <Insert Company Name> <Insert Site Name> Operations was prepared by Lifetime Reliability Solutions following a request by <Insert Name>, Maintenance Manager of the operation.

1.1 Scope of Work

1) Review the current effectiveness of maintenance processes

2) Suggest improvements to the content and set up of the computerised maintenance management system (CMMS) at <Insert Site>;

3) Complete an objective maintenance review, using a spider audit question set; and

4) Provide a written report, complete with recommendations for improvement, detailing the results of the maintenance audit and review.

Copies of your maintenance system documents were requestioned and reviewed by the Author to familiarise themselves with your operation and to understand the completeness and capability of your maintenance processes.

View Sample_Maintenance_Audit_Report

The City and County of San Francisco (CCSF) Department of Emergency Management (DEM) and the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) have initiated the process of updating the 2001 SFUSD Emergency Operations Plan (EOP). California public schools are required to comply with California Education Code (CEC), Section 35294, which deals with the preparation of ―safe school plans.‖ These plans address violence prevention, emergency preparedness, traffic safety, and crisis intervention.

As an independent agency answering to the State of California, SFUSD would normally establish an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) for the management and coordination of emergency response and recovery activities within the District. Some of the important benefits of operating an EOC include direct access to the California Emergency Management Agency (CalEMA) in applying for reimbursement following a catastrophic incident and, of course, in maintaining the District’s autonomy. However, since the District boundaries and area of responsibility are contiguous with that of CCSF, and considering the enormous capabilities and resources CCSF brings to an emergency or disaster, it is in the best interests of the District to interface directly with the CCSF Incident Command System (ICS). The most efficient method for accommodating this relationship is to establish a Department Operations Center (DOC) so that the authority of the Superintendent of Schools is in no way undermined, and the ability to efficiently respond to the emergency and save lives and property is enhanced

Sample - Emerg Ops Plan_San Francisco USD 2009

Ohio schools must have a comprehensive school emergency management plan that addresses their response not only to severe weather and natural disasters, chemical accidents and medical emergencies, but also to school violence and various types of terrorist threats.

This model plan (the Plan), when used in conjunction with the Guide for Developing High-Quality School Emergency Operations Plans (the Guide) includes comprehensive information and descriptions of the overall concept of operations, organization, roles and responsibilities, along with checklists, to guide schools and school personnel in addressing various emergency hazards that may affect the safety of our children and school community.

Sample - Safety Plan Template_OH 2015

The Falconer Central School District-wide School Safety Plan was developed pursuant to Commissioner's Regulation 155.17. At the direction of the Falconer Central School District Board of Education, the Superintendent of Falconer Central School District appointed a District-wide School Safety Team and charged it with the development and maintenance of the District-wide School Safety Plan.

Sample - Safety Plan_Falconer NY 2011

The Board of Education and the District’s Superintendent recognize their responsibility to provide students and staff with a safe and healthy learning environment. In keeping with this responsibility, the Superintendent directed the development of a Comprehensive District-Wide School Safety Health and Safety Plan.

After reviewing existing safety practices, the District Safety Committee recommended that individual shop safety activities be expanded and a new plan modeled after the Environmental and Occupational Health Science Institute’s (EOHSI) Safe School Project be developed.

Safe schools is a project supported by the New Jersey Department of Education, Office of vocational-Technical, Career and Innovative Programs, to assist schools in meeting environmental and occupational safety and health regulations and protecting students and staff from occupational injuries and illnesses.

The District-wide School Safety Plan is reviewed annually and updated on an as-needed basis. The Plan is contained in the District’s QAAR which is approved annually by the Board of Education prior to submission to the Office of the County Superintendent of Schools.

Sample - Safety Plan_Gloucester County NJ

The Island Trees School District Comprehensive School Safety Plan (as required by the SAVE Law – Safe Schools Against Violence in Education – Commissioner of Education Regulars 155.17) has been established to provide for the safety, health and security of both students and staff and allows for input from the entire school community. This particular component of Project SAVE is a comprehensive planning effort that addresses risk reduction/prevention, response and recovery with respect to a variety of emergencies which may occur in the school district and its component school buildings.

Sample - Safety Plan_Island Trees UFSD NY 2014

NORTHEASTERN CLINTON CENTRAL SCHOOL District Office, 2011

Each of the Northeastern Clinton Central School Building-Level School Safety Plans contains a policy and the specific procedures for contacting parents, legal guardians or persons in parental relation to the students of the building in cases of emergency.

Sample - Safety Plan_NE Clinton Central NY 2011