Certified Facility Manager (CFM) Practice Exam

The approach that centers around addressing issues only after they occur is described as reactive maintenance. This method relies on responding to equipment failures or problems as they happen, rather than planning for maintenance activities in advance. This means maintenance staff are typically called to action only when an operation is disrupted or when an asset breaks down, which can lead to increased downtime and potentially higher repair costs.

This approach contrasts with scheduled and preventive maintenance, both of which aim to prevent failures before they happen by conducting regular maintenance tasks on a pre-determined schedule. Corrective maintenance, while related in that it deals with issues, is typically a broader category that includes both reactive measures and repairs following preventative maintenance inspections. Reactive maintenance specifically implies a lack of proactive measures altogether, focusing solely on recovery from failures.