At Nocti Business Solution (NBS), safety is always a key concern. No matter the industry, we aim to ensure that every worker is qualified to be on the work floor. Workers who do not have the proper knowledge or skills create hazards for themselves and workers who surround them. In any industry, especially manufacturing or construction, maintenance is a critical component of maintaining a safe work environment—which is why we are sharing the Basic Rules of Machinery Maintenance Safety.
Importance of Maintenance Safety
In any labor or machinery focused industry, proper maintenance keeps the world spinning. Throughout our company’s history, we have seen how maintenance can either help a business succeed or prevent it from reaching their goals. Whether upkeep is for a small handheld machine or a two-story printing press, the proper steps need to be followed to ensure everyone’s safety. This includes workers on the floor, the end customer, and the maintenance worker.
When conducting any maintenance, some dangers come along with the job. Machines are built to do things that we cannot; they’re tools made to produce beyond our limitations. Unfortunately, accidents do happen with the expansion of our capabilities. Severe injury and even death can be the result of unsafe maintenance and, sadly, most of that can be avoided by workers following proper rules and procedures. According to the USA today, there were 337 deaths and 52,490 reported injuries for maintenance workers in 2017 alone. Now, we are not sharing that information to scare you— we are sharing it to illustrate that accidents happen. But, with proper precautions and training, maintenance workers can avoid costly mistakes, keeping everyone safe and productive.
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Five Rules of Machinery Maintenance Safety
Here are five general rules of maintenance safety, focusing on machinery maintenance. Keep in mind, although the focus of this list is machinery, most of the rules apply to any maintenance position.
Train & Educate
Our first rule is to ensure that each maintenance worker has the knowledge to perform their job safely and efficiently. By providing workers with adequate training and information, team leaders ensure that their workers are fully aware of safety rules. For example, workers who follow the lockout/tagout procedure are taught multiple times before doing it on their own. As most manufacturers know, that procedure is in place to protect lives.
Plan
Whether workers are conducting preventive or corrective maintenance, there should always be a plan for the maintenance team and other workers to follow. By planning, supervisors ensure that everyone is well-aware that maintenance work is in progress and to not mistakenly move or power-up equipment. Additionally, preparation and scheduling lead to less improvisation, from the maintenance team and other workers. Maintenace workers know where they need to be, while other workers know specific areas or equipment will be off limits for the allotted time.
Proper Equipment
By using the right equipment maintenance teams repair or maintain machinery correctly. Sure, there are a lot of tools that can be just as efficient as others. However, most large-scale machines have tools and equipment designed specifically for fixing them. Again, planning reduces chances of improvisation by ensuring teams are using the right equipment as well.
Final checks
Skipping final checks and tests is one of the leading causes of slowed productivity and injury within a workforce. Too often, maintenance teams finish a job but don’t take the time to make sure the machine is running correctly. That leads to the machine breaking down shortly after receiving maintenance, and possibly causing injury to other workers who are under the impression the machine is safe.
Enforcement
Follow the rules; it’s a simple concept that most should have learned in grade school. Unfortunately, workers still skip procedures or forget to follow the rules. But, rules are there to help workers stay safe and finish the job correctly. Of course, no one wants to be a tattle-tale, but when safety is on the line—someone has to step up.
Never place a worker on the floor who is not ready to be there.
In any company or industry, workers are the most valuable asset. And, it is vital to take the proper steps to keep workers safe, which is why we have such a strong focus on safety at NBS. Active and efficient maintenance, especially with large machinery or equipment, is one of the most critical factors in maintaining a safe work environment.
Ensure that your maintenance workers have the proper knowledge and skills to keep your work floor safe with NBS Assessments. We offer maintenance focused and custom assessments and evaluations that ensure that each worker knows the rules and procedures to maintain a safe work environment.
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