Temporary Repair
A temporary repair is an interim action used to restore or protect equipment until an approved permanent repair can be completed.
What this term means in maintenance
A temporary repair is an interim action used to restore or protect equipment until an approved permanent repair can be completed.
When temporary repairs are used
They may be necessary when:
- Permanent parts are unavailable
- Shutdown access is required
- Production cannot stop immediately
- Engineering design is pending
- Immediate containment is needed
Practical example
A leaking pipe is temporarily clamped under an approved engineering and safety assessment until replacement during the next shutdown.
Required controls
A temporary repair should record:
- Reason
- Risk assessment
- Approved method
- Materials used
- Inspection requirement
- Operating limits
- Expiry date
- Permanent-repair work order
- Approver
Identification
Temporary repairs should be visible in the CMMS and, when appropriate, physically identified in the plant.
Common mistake
Temporary repairs often become permanent when no owner, expiry, inspection, or follow-up work is assigned.
Related concepts
Related maintenance terms
Keep exploring connected CMMS, reliability, and maintenance planning terms.
Deferred Maintenance
Deferred maintenance is approved maintenance work that is deliberately postponed to a later date because of risk, access, production, labor, parts, or budget considerations.
Work Order
A work order is an authorized record that defines maintenance work to be performed, including the asset, priority, scope, assignee, instructions, labor, parts, status, and completion evidence.
Work Request
A work request is a reported maintenance need submitted for review before it becomes an approved work order.
Glossary FAQs
- What is a temporary repair?
An interim restoration used until an approved permanent repair can be completed.
- What controls should apply?
Risk, approval, method, materials, limits, inspection, expiry, owner, and permanent follow-up.
- How are temporary repairs prevented from becoming permanent?
Use visible status, expiry reminders, inspection requirements, and linked permanent work.