What is a potential consequence of neglecting preventive maintenance?

Neglecting preventive maintenance can lead to reduced overall efficiency of operations, as regular maintenance is essential for keeping equipment and systems functioning optimally. Without it, machinery may become less reliable, leading to increased breakdowns and downtime. This can disrupt workflow, cause delays, and ultimately decrease productivity.

Preventive maintenance is designed to identify and address potential issues before they become significant problems, ensuring that equipment operates smoothly and efficiently. By failing to perform these regular check-ups and maintenance tasks, equipment may struggle to perform its intended functions, leading to inefficiencies in operations and potentially affecting the quality of output as well.

In contrast, options such as extended equipment lifespan, lower financial expenditure, and improved work safety are typically benefits derived from maintaining equipment properly rather than consequences of neglecting maintenance. Thus, the option highlighting reduced overall efficiency accurately reflects the impact of ignoring preventive measures.