Maintenance Technician 2026 Complete Practice Test

Reactive maintenance refers to the practice of addressing equipment failures after they occur. This approach focuses primarily on restoring functionality and often involves repairs that are made in response to a malfunction. The key characteristic of reactive maintenance is that it does not involve any preventive measures to avoid equipment breakdown; rather, it deals with the consequences of a breakdown.

This form of maintenance is typically characterized by its immediate nature, prioritizing urgent fixes to minimize downtime. While it can be useful in certain situations, relying solely on reactive maintenance can lead to higher operational costs and increased downtime, as equipment is allowed to fail before action is taken.

In contrast, preventive maintenance is designed to avoid equipment failures by performing regular inspections and maintenance tasks before issues occur, whereas proactive maintenance involves systematic changes aimed at improvement, and time-based maintenance focuses on performing maintenance tasks at scheduled intervals. Understanding these distinctions is crucial for effective maintenance management and optimizing the lifecycle of equipment.