Predictive Maintenance Thermography Survey
Annual electrical thermography survey template for documenting hotspots, delta-T findings, and follow-up actions on energized equipment. Use it to standardize scans, prioritize repairs, and track issues through planned outage or correction.
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Overview
This Predictive Maintenance Thermography Survey template is for documenting electrical infrared inspections on energized equipment, with a focus on hotspots, delta-T findings, and the corrective actions that follow. It captures the basics an inspector needs to make the scan usable later: date and time, inspector qualification, ambient conditions, load state, access restrictions, asset ID, voltage class, and the thermographic image tied to each asset and anomaly.
Use it when you are surveying switchgear, panelboards, MCCs, disconnects, transformers, or other electrical assets that should be evaluated under normal operating load. The form is especially useful when you need to compare one scan to the next, justify maintenance priority, or hand a finding to operations or electrical maintenance with enough detail to act. It also supports follow-up by recording severity, suspected cause, assigned owner, target completion date, work order number, and verification status.
Do not use this template as a substitute for an arc-flash study, electrical safe work procedure, or a general equipment condition checklist. It is not meant for de-energized troubleshooting, cosmetic observations, or non-electrical assets. If the equipment was not under meaningful load, if the asset cannot be identified, or if the anomaly cannot be tied to a specific component and reference temperature, the survey record will be weak and may not support a maintenance decision. This template is designed to prevent that by forcing the inspector to document the conditions that make thermography actionable.
Standards & compliance context
- The template supports documentation practices commonly used in OSHA general industry electrical safety programs by capturing energized work controls, PPE, and qualified-person context.
- It aligns with NFPA-based electrical safety workflows by recording conditions that matter during live equipment inspection and by separating observation from corrective action.
- The severity and follow-up fields help maintenance teams document deficiencies in a way that fits ISO 9001-style corrective action and non-conformance tracking.
- For facilities with fire-life-safety or critical power obligations, the record can support internal inspection evidence expected under NFPA-oriented maintenance programs and AHJ review.
- If your site uses contractor thermography, keep the survey tied to site-specific electrical safety procedures and any required lockout-tagout or energized work authorization process.
General regulatory context for orientation only — verify current requirements with counsel or the relevant agency before relying on this template for compliance.
What's inside this template
Survey Details
This section matters because thermography findings are only useful when the inspection conditions, inspector credentials, and energized-work context are documented alongside the scan.
- Inspection date and time recorded
- Inspector name and qualification documented
- Area or electrical system surveyed identified
- Ambient temperature recorded
- Weather or environmental conditions documented
- Equipment operating under normal load during survey
- Any access restrictions, energized work controls, or PPE requirements noted
Electrical Asset Identification
This section matters because every thermal image must be tied to a specific asset, location, and operating state so the finding can be repaired without guesswork.
- Asset tag or equipment ID recorded
- Equipment type identified
- Location or room identified
- Voltage class recorded
-
Load condition at time of scan documented
Include measured load, estimated percent load, or operating state for the asset.
- Single-line reference or panel schedule verified
- Thermographic image captured for asset
Thermography Findings
This section matters because it captures the actual anomaly, the measured temperatures, and the delta-T needed to judge whether the condition is a deficiency or a normal variation.
- Hotspot or thermal anomaly observed
- Maximum measured temperature recorded
- Reference component temperature recorded
- Delta-T calculated and documented
- Thermal pattern or anomaly description documented
- Suspected cause identified
- Thermal image attached for anomaly
- Finding severity assessed
Condition Assessment
This section matters because it turns a thermal observation into a maintenance decision about risk, serviceability, and how soon the asset should be revisited.
- Condition classified
- Immediate safety risk present
- Equipment can remain in service until planned outage
- Recommended follow-up interval
Corrective Actions and Follow-Up
This section matters because a survey is not complete until the finding has an owner, a due date, a work order, and a verification step.
- Corrective action documented
- Responsible person or department assigned
- Target completion date recorded
- Work order or ticket number recorded
- Follow-up verification required
- Inspector signature
How to use this template
- Set up the survey by entering the inspection date, inspector qualification, area, ambient temperature, operating conditions, and any energized work controls or PPE requirements before the walk-through begins.
- Identify each electrical asset by tag, equipment type, location, voltage class, load condition, and single-line or panel schedule reference so every image can be tied to a specific component.
- Capture the thermographic image for each asset and record any hotspot or anomaly with the maximum temperature, reference temperature, delta-T, thermal pattern, suspected cause, and severity.
- Classify the condition and decide whether the equipment can remain in service until the planned outage or whether it needs immediate escalation based on the observed risk.
- Assign the corrective action, owner, target date, and work order number, then require follow-up verification and inspector sign-off after the repair or planned intervention is complete.
Best practices
- Scan equipment only when it is under normal operating load, because low-load readings can hide a developing defect or make a healthy component look abnormal.
- Record the reference component temperature next to the hotspot temperature so the delta-T is traceable and not dependent on memory or a later estimate.
- Photograph every defect at the time of inspection and tie it to the exact asset ID, panel, or feeder position to avoid ambiguous follow-up work.
- Note ambient temperature, weather, and access restrictions because environmental conditions can affect interpretation and explain why a scan was limited.
- Use a consistent severity scale across all surveys so repeat findings can be trended and compared from one inspection cycle to the next.
- Escalate loose connections, overloaded conductors, phase imbalance, and overheated breakers immediately when the thermal pattern suggests an active electrical deficiency.
- Require a work order or ticket number for every actionable finding so the survey does not end as a list of observations without ownership.
What this template typically catches
Issues teams running this template most often surface in practice:
Common use cases
Frequently asked questions
What equipment does this thermography survey template cover?
It is built for electrical assets that can be scanned under normal operating conditions, such as switchgear, panelboards, MCCs, disconnects, transformers, and critical feeders. The template expects you to identify the asset, voltage class, load condition, and any access restrictions before you record the thermal findings. It is not a general mechanical inspection form. If you need pumps, bearings, or steam systems, use a separate infrared survey template for those assets.
How often should this survey be run?
Most teams use it on an annual cycle, then shorten the interval for critical equipment, heavily loaded gear, or assets with prior thermal defects. The right cadence depends on risk, duty cycle, and how quickly a finding could become a failure. Use the condition assessment and recommended follow-up interval fields to set the next scan date. If a hotspot is severe or trending upward, do not wait for the next annual survey.
Who should perform the inspection?
A qualified thermography inspector or other trained person with the right electrical safety authorization should perform the survey. The form includes fields for inspector name, qualification, energized work controls, and PPE because those details matter when scanning live equipment. In many programs, maintenance, reliability, or electrical contractors complete the scan while operations supports access and load conditions. The person signing off should be able to interpret thermal anomalies and recommend the right follow-up.
Does this template support OSHA or NFPA compliance?
Yes, it is designed to support documentation commonly expected under OSHA general industry electrical safety practices and NFPA electrical safety and fire-life-safety guidance. It helps you record energized work controls, PPE requirements, normal load conditions, and corrective actions tied to observed deficiencies. It does not replace an arc-flash study, electrical safe work procedure, or qualified-person training. Use it as inspection evidence and as a trigger for maintenance action.
What are the most common mistakes when using a thermography survey form?
The biggest mistakes are scanning equipment that is not under meaningful load, failing to record the reference component temperature, and leaving out the asset ID or panel schedule reference. Another common issue is treating every warm component as a defect without considering load balance, ambient conditions, or normal operating temperature rise. Teams also miss follow-up by not assigning an owner, due date, and work order number. This template is structured to prevent those gaps.
Can I customize the severity or delta-T thresholds?
Yes, and you should. Different facilities use different severity bands based on equipment criticality, load, and internal maintenance standards, so the finding severity field should match your program. You can also add site-specific thresholds for delta-T, inspection frequency, or escalation rules. Keep the core fields intact so every scan still captures the same baseline data.
How does this compare with ad-hoc infrared notes or photos?
Ad-hoc notes usually miss the context needed to make a maintenance decision later, especially load condition, ambient temperature, reference temperature, and the exact asset location. This template turns a photo into a traceable finding with severity, suspected cause, and corrective action ownership. That makes it easier to trend repeat hotspots and prove closure. It also reduces the chance that a serious anomaly gets buried in a camera roll or email thread.
What should be attached to the survey record?
Attach the thermographic image for each asset and each anomaly, plus any supporting single-line reference, panel schedule, or work order record if your process uses them. If your team tracks before-and-after verification, include the follow-up image and closure notes as well. The goal is to make the record auditable without having to reconstruct the event from memory. Keep the attachments tied to the specific asset ID, not just the site name.
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