A Framework for the Implementation of Industry 4.0 Technologies in Maintenance Management within the Petrochemical Industry: A Multicriteria Decision-Making Approach

This study distills sustainability into three core dimensions: Economic, Safety, and People Welfare (ESP) and demonstrates through the literature that sustainable maintenance management in the petrochemical industry must be assessed across these pillars. Building on this foundation, it introduces a novel multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) framework for implementing Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies in maintenance and bridging strategic objectives (ESP) with operational activities: Inspection, Repair, and Servicing (IRS). The framework was developed through four phases: (1) identifying existing frameworks, (2) conducting literature reviews and expert interviews, (3) developing a maturity assessment, and (4) outlining an implementation program. Application to a case-study company involved evaluating 4IR maturity across 16 dimensions and 5 levels, followed by designing a roadmap to address readiness gaps. Findings revealed the company to be at a “technology novice” stage, highlighting two key barriers: upgrading legacy systems for IoT integration and developing workforce competencies aligned with 4IR standards. Managerial recommendations emphasize phased implementation, workforce upskilling, and infrastructure modernization. The study contributes both theoretically and practically by aligning strategic sustainability goals (ESP) with operational maintenance execution (IRS), providing a replicable framework that enhances economic performance, safety, and people welfare and establishing a new model for sustainable industrial maintenance.