1. Practice: Writing an Abstract

The short report that follows lacks an abstract that states the purpose and provides the main conclusion or

recommendation from the body of the report. Brief abstract for this report.(10 marks, word count =100)

DATE: June 13, 2012

TO: Ed Simpson

FROM: Jeff Radner

SUBJECT: Creation of an Operator Preventive Maintenance Program

The Problem

The lack of operator involvement in the equipment maintenance program has caused the reliability of

equipment to decline. Here are a few examples:

A tractor was operated without adequate oil in the crankcase, resulting in a $15,000 repair bill after the

engine locked.

Operators have received fines from police officers because safety lights were not operating. The bulbs were

burned out and had not been replaced. Brake lights and turn-signal malfunctions have been cited as having

caused rear-end collisions.

A small grass fire erupted at a construction site. When the operator of the vehicle nearest to the fire attempted

to extinguish the blaze, he discovered that the fire extinguisher had already been discharged. When the operator

fails to report deficiencies to the mechanics, dangerous consequences may result.

The Solution

The goal of any maintenance program is to maintain the company equipment so that the daily tasks can be

performed safely and on schedule. Since the operator is using the equipment on a regular basis, he or she is in

the position to spot potential problems before they become serious. For a successful maintenance program, the

following recommendations should be implemented:

Hold a mandatory four-hour equipment maintenance training class conducted by mechanics in the motor

pool. This training would consist of a hands-on approach to preventive maintenance checks and services at the

operator level.

Require operators to perform certain checks on a vehicle before checking it out of the motor pool. A vehicle

checklist would be turned in to maintenance personnel.

The attached checklist would require 5 to 10 minutes to complete.

Conclusion

I believe the cost of maintaining the vehicle fleet at M-Global will be reduced when potential problems are

detected and corrected before they become serious. Operator training and the vehicle pre-trip inspection

checklist will ensure that preventable accidents are avoided. I will call you this week to answer any questions

you may have about this proposal.