Journal of Physical Science and Environmental Studies

Research Paper|Published July, 2026|Vol. 12(3):24-31.

https://doi.org/10.36630/jpses_26013

 

Analysis of Routine Inspection and Preventive Maintenance Practices in the Building Construction Industry in Umuahia, Abia State

 

Madukwe Richard Emeka

 

Department of Building, Abia State University, Uturu.Nigeria.

 

ABSTRACT

This study investigated routine inspection and preventive maintenance practices in Umuahia's building construction industry, identifying gaps and providing recommendations for improvement. The lack of routine inspection and preventive maintenance practices in Umuahia's building construction industry has led to increased safety risks, financial burdens, and reduced building lifespan. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis methods. The findings reveal that while most respondents carry out routine maintenance activities, there is a lack of adoption of predictive maintenance strategies. Inadequate funding, lack of skilled personnel, and inadequate maintenance policies were major challenges to implementing maintenance practices. The inferential statistics reveal significant positive relationships between the frequency of maintenance activities and building safety, and between types of maintenance activities and building longevity. The coefficients of r=0.45 and r=0.32 represent the strength and direction of the linear relationship between the variables, and the p-values of 0.01 and 0.05 indicate the statistical significance of the correlations. Therefore, increasing the frequency of maintenance activities is likely to improve building safety in the area. The study recommends allocating a minimum of 5-10% of the building budget to maintenance activities, developing and implementing effective maintenance policies, training maintenance staff, allocating sufficient funds for maintenance activities, and conducting quarterly inspections.

Key Words: Routine inspection, preventive maintenance, building industry, maintenance practices, safety risks.

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