Shutdown Maintenance Strategy: How to Execute a Perfect Turnaround (2026 Guide)

A Maintenance Shutdown (or Turnaround) is the most high-stakes event in the factory calendar.
You stop production (Zero Revenue). You hire expensive contractors (High Cost). You open up critical machinery (High Risk).

If you finish 4 hours early, you look like a genius.
If you finish 4 hours late, you lose thousands of dollars in missed orders.

Managing a shutdown on a whiteboard or Excel sheet is suicidal. You cannot track 500 tasks and 50 contractors with a marker pen.
You need a Digital Command Center.

Here is the 2026 playbook for executing a flawless Turnaround using Fabrico.

Phase 1: The Scope "Deep Freeze"

Success is determined months before the machines stop.
The enemy is Scope Creep.

• Jan 1: We plan to replace the boiler seal.

• Jan 15: "Let's also paint the floor."

• Jan 20: "Let's rebuild the conveyor."

Suddenly, a 2-day shutdown becomes a 4-day shutdown squeezed into 2 days.

The Strategy:

1. The Digital Backlog: Use Fabrico to tag potential shutdown jobs year-round ("Tag: STO-2026").

2. The Freeze Date: 4 weeks out, lock the list. No new jobs added without the Plant Manager’s signature.

3. The Kit Check: Verify that every part for every job is physically on site. If the part isn't there, the job is cut from the scope.

Phase 2: The Command Center (Execution)

Once the shutdown starts, "Daily Meetings" are too slow. You need "Hourly Visibility."
If a critical path task (e.g., Crane Lift) is delayed by 30 minutes, everything behind it pushes back.

The Strategy: Real-Time Mobile Updates.

• The Workflow: Technicians and Contractors don't write reports at the end of the shift. They click "Complete" on their mobile app the second the bolt is tightened.

• The Dashboard: The Maintenance Manager sits in the "War Room" watching the Fabrico Dashboard.

  • Green: On Schedule.

  • Red: Delay detected on Line 4.

• The Reaction: You see the Red delay instantly. You reallocate resources from Line 2 to Line 4 to catch up.

Phase 3: The "Stranger Danger" (Contractor Safety)

Shutdowns mean strange faces on the shop floor. Contractors are 3x more likely to have accidents because they don't know your hazards.

The Strategy: Digital Gatekeeping.
Use Fabrico to manage the external workforce.

• Permit to Work: The contractor cannot start until they complete the digital safety permit on the tablet (Hot Work, Confined Space, LOTO).

• Task Assignment: They receive a specific Work Order. They cannot wander around "looking for work."

• Verification: They must upload a photo of the finished job before your supervisor signs off on their hours.

Phase 4: The Vertical Startup

The most dangerous moment is the restart.

• Are all the tools removed?

• Are the guards back on?

• Is the oil refilled?

If you miss one thing, the machine crashes on startup ("Infant Mortality"), and your shutdown was a failure.

The Strategy: The PSSR (Pre-Startup Safety Review).
Create a mandatory "Go/No-Go" Checklist in Fabrico.

• Check 1: Verify LOTO removal.

• Check 2: Verify tool count (5 in, 5 out).

• Check 3: Bump test motor.

Only when the checklist is 100% green does Operations get the "All Clear" to start production. This ensures you ramp up to full speed immediately (Vertical Startup) without stuttering.

Conclusion: Orchestrate the Chaos

A shutdown is a symphony. You are the conductor.
If you can't hear the musicians (lack of data), the music falls apart.
Use software to keep everyone in tempo.

Master the turnaround.
 

[Request a Demo] and use Fabrico to plan your next shutdown.