Facility Improvement Planning Checklist

Identifying, Prioritizing, and Budgeting for Success

Plant Managers often find themselves reacting to facility issues rather than planning them. Use this checklist to conduct a quarterly "Operational Health" walk with your maintenance and safety leads.

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1. Facility Safety Assessment

Safety projects often have the highest ROI when considering risk reduction and insurance premiums.

• Rack Protection: Inspect all pallet rack uprights. Are end-of-aisle guards in place? Are there visible dents?
• Bollard Placement: Are electrical panels, utility headers, and structural columns protected from forklift impact?
• Pedestrian Pathways: Are walkways clearly marked? Are there physical barriers separating people from traffic?
• Dock Safety: Inspect dock levelers, seals, and vehicle restraints. Are dock lights functioning?

2. Building Condition Review

Prevent small issues from becoming capital expenditures.

• Floor Condition: Identify cracks, spalling concrete, or delaminating epoxy. These are trip hazards and hard on equipment.
• Wall Panels & Doors: Check for insulation damage or forklift impact on overhead doors.
• Lighting: Is the production floor at the correct lumen level for quality inspection?

3. Warehouse & Flow Optimization

Small layout changes can drive significant productivity.

• Material Flow: Is there excessive "re-handling" of materials?
• Ergonomics: Are workstations optimized for operator height and reach?
• Storage Utilization: Is the vertical cube being utilized effectively, or is floor space being wasted?

4. Capital Planning Considerations

• Budgeting: Categorize each item as Maintenance (Expense) vs. Capital Project.
• Shutdown Alignment: Which projects can be completed during production, and which require a planned outage?