Maintenance Worker Safety

A maintenance worker, often the first line of defense in protecting other employees from workplace hazards, has to deal with repairing unsafe issues, such as exposed wiring and sharp, broken edges of a porcelain toilet lid. In doing so, he must make sure he's safe, too.

Significance

Maintenance work inherently involves dangerous elements due to the nature of the work itself. Power tools especially have sharp, moving parts that maintenance workers need to know how to use properly. Maintenance work often involves working with electricity and chemicals, too.

Features

A maintenance worker both prepares and protects himself by first acquainting himself with the proper use of all tools that he uses. A worker also safely stores those tools to prevent tripping hazards or problems with clutter causing unnecessary accidents. A maintenance worker also wears the proper protective equipment when using tools and chemicals.

Considerations

Consistent maintenance worker safe practices help lead to decreased accidents, which lead to less time lost from work. This is advantageous to the worker and the overall business. A maintenance worker who observes proper signage practices while he's working, such as placing "Wet Floor" signs, helps protect other workers in the business from unnecessary hazards.

References

• Maintenance World: How Maintainers Can Work More Safely