How do we decide which assets are truly critical?
Rank assets by the consequences of losing their required function, using a consistent method agreed by operations, maintenance and engineering.
What to look for
Begin with a defined system boundary and an asset list. Compare potential impacts on safety, environment, production, quality and recovery cost. Consider actual standby capacity, common dependencies and the time needed to restore the function. Document assumptions rather than treating a score as a fact.
Practical next steps
- Facilitate scoring with people who know how the system operates and fails.
- Record the rationale and evidence for each ranking, including known data gaps.
- Use the result to review maintenance, spares and improvement priorities, then revisit it after significant changes.
For example, a standby pump may reduce production risk only if it is available, can carry the duty and does not share the same vulnerable power supply. This is a hypothetical example.
How to run a first ranking workshop
Choose a manageable system and agree on what counts as an asset and a loss of function. Collect the available hierarchy, operating context, failure history and drawings. Establish consequence categories and rating definitions before scoring; for example, distinguish a minor production interruption from a loss of a system with no viable standby.
Bring operations, maintenance, engineering and safety perspectives together. For each item, record the rationale, confidence level and assumptions about redundancy, operating mode and recovery. A numerical score makes a discussion repeatable only if its definitions are understood.
What to do with the result
- Check whether high-consequence assets have appropriate maintenance and inspection strategies.
- Review availability of critical spares, repair support and reliable documentation.
- Identify data gaps and assign owners rather than presenting uncertain scores as precise facts.
- Reassess when operating conditions, system configuration or credible consequences change.
Start with a small pilot, compare the results with the team’s experience and refine the method before applying it plant-wide. The ranking informs decisions; it does not replace engineering review or required controls.
Explore the assessment
See how KANE approaches this work and what an engagement includes.
View the related assessment →Related answer: Is a critical asset the same as an urgent work order?