APPLICATION OF FAILURE MODE AND EFFECTS ANALYSIS (FMEA) IN THE PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE ACTIVITY OF A SET OF PASSENGER ELEVATORS

Abstract

The objective of this study was to use the FMEA tool to evaluate the risks involved in passenger elevator maintenance activities. The object of this study consisted of a set of three passenger elevators located at a university in Niterói, RJ. Through an on-site visit accompanying a typical preventive maintenance activity, it was possible to map the risks and identify critical scenarios involving both the environments and the maintenance activities. Based on the identification of these critical scenarios, the FMEA tool was applied to determine the Risk Priority Number (RPN), which is a numerical indicator that expresses the level of risk and enables safety professionals to prioritize the elimination or mitigation of the most critical risks. The results indicate a higher degree of criticality and a greater probability of occurrence in activities carried out on the floors (near the doors) and on top of the elevator car, as they involve the risk of workers falling into the elevator shaft. It was observed that the best way to prevent failures is to adopt an action plan that is both practical and effective, that is, a plan that is simple and easy to implement.