Which of the following is a listed step in Classical RCM?

• A. Preserve functions
• B. Design verification
• C. Quality control
• D. Risk assessment

Answer: (A)

Classical RCM centers on keeping equipment able to perform its required function by choosing maintenance actions that preserve that function. A fundamental step is to define what function the system must deliver and then select tasks specifically aimed at maintaining or restoring that ability when failures threaten it. That focus on preserving function is what makes this option the listed step.

Design verification isn’t part of the RCM maintenance decision sequence; it’s about confirming a design meets its requirements, not about maintaining an in-service asset. Quality control relates to producing and inspecting parts or products, not the maintenance planning flow. Risk assessment can be used in some analyses, but in classical RCM the explicit step you perform to keep the system functioning is preserving the function itself. For example, in a hydraulic system, you plan tasks that ensure the system can still provide the required hydraulic power, rather than verifying a design or performing general quality checks.