Every workplace needs a little TLC every now and again, and that goes double for warehouses and distribution centers. Between the needed equipment, the constant flow of products and inventory, and the number of workers in any given factory, tools and supplies are bound to break down and need repair or replacement.

While there’s obviously no way to predict every single thing that will need fixing, there are some common steps and preventative maintenance you can keep an eye out for to hopefully reduce your maintenance needs and prevent downtime or revenue loss due to needed maintenance and repair:

Forklifts & Heavy Equipment: One of the most common repair issues a warehouse encounters is the need to maintain their heavy lift equipment such as forklifts and pallet movers. Taking the time to invest in some preventative maintenance will help prevent the revenue loss and increased repair cost of fixing these tools when they break down. Think of it like your car: you’ll need to keep an eye on tires, transmission, battery, and the like.

Painting: Even if you don’t work in the most elaborately-decorated warehouse, paint is still an important part of organizing many warehouses by creating ‘lanes’ or aisles on the shop floor, using paint colors to indicate different sections of the warehouse, and so on. Paint, particularly in high-traffic areas, is bound to chip and fade, and this can have an unexpectedly strong effect on safety and navigation. Try to regularly re-paint high traffic area to prevent accidents, loss, and damage.

Shelving & Storage: Warehouses live and die on the industrial storage they provide to their clients and products, and if any of your storage breaks down you could face a loss of revenue and a delay in operations. Keep a close eye on things like wire shelving and rivet shelving to spot damage, wear, and potential breakdowns to prevent damage to items, full-scale replacement of your storage, and other potential issues.

Lighting: Lighting is another key factor in safety and navigation of any warehouse. Instead of waiting for the lights to burn out, set a schedule for regular replacement and inspection of your industrial lighting to to prevent your employees having to work in the dark.

Of course, this is all just an early starting list, but with these tips you should be able to prevent further need for maintenance and repairs.