Machinery safe maintenance

Maintenance work is, by its very nature, hazardous. Workers maintain equipment that is opened or disassembled, thereby exposing those workers to a wide range of potential hazards that stem from toxic chemicals, heat, electricity, moving machinery, hydraulics, pneumatic equipment, falling objects, springs and coils, and falls from equipment. In addition, maintenance workers may be asked to work at heights, in confined spaces, or in other unsafe locations. Therefore, first goal of any maintenance procedure is to ensure that the work can be carried out safely. 

Based on this risk assessment, managanent lists and schedules the work needed to be done to create a safe and healthy work environment and eliminate high-risk acts of people. This would mean the introduction of a suitable structured SMS based on world s best practice. All safety management systems should be based on the nature of the business and be risk based, management led, and audit driven. This could include having to guard machinery, demarcate walkways and work areas, purchase correct tools and equipment, and set up maintenance systems for equipment, etc. 

Ensuring safe operations and maintenance by Hazid and Hazop studies Compliance with statutory rules and regulations Procuring materials and machinery... 

Section 4 is concerned with the various duties owed by those who have control of premises to those who are not their employees. Subsection (3) states that where such a person enters non-domestic premises by virtue of a contract or tenancy which creates an obligation for maintenance or repair or responsibility for the safety of or absence from risks to health arising from plant or substances in any such premises, then the person deemed to be in control owes a duty to see that reasonable measures are taken to ensure that such premises, plant or substances are safe and without risks to the health of the person entering. This section therefore would provide that safety standards be extended to someone who enters a cinema (contract) or enters a factory to inspect machinery (licensee) in addition to the other aim of the Act which is concerned with the safety of employees. It should be noted that liability is on the person who has control over premises or who can be described as an occupier and that case law shows that more than one person can be in that position Wheat v. Lacon Co. Ltd ). 

This kind of safefy framing is necessary for new operators and maintenance or setup personnel, when any new or altered safeguards are put in service, or when workers are assigned to a new machine or operation. Properly installed machinery safeguards, well-written safe work practices, and a strong training program are all important elements of a company s Machine... 

OHS issues will certainty arise from time to time in ary workplace, and can be hartdled through the consultative process which Robens-style OHS law sets up - employers talking with health and safety representatives, or in health and safety committees, hr srrtall workplaces, or those without representatives, the employer can discuss matters one-on-one with employees. Issues onty become disputes if there is a difference between an employee s request, demand or point of view and that of the employer. The dispnte may be for a mtmber of reasons - one, of coitrse, is inabihty to pay for risk control measures. Another may be that the employer is dependent on others to implement solutions. For example, a contractor at a mine site may operate machinery belonging to the principal which needs new capital investment for safe operation rather than just maintenance. An accident make employees aware of a risk they weren t aware of before. 

Safe operating procedures for the isolation of plant and machinery during both electrical and mechanical maintenance, must be prepared and followed. All electrical isolators must, wherever possible, be fitted with mechanisms which can be locked in the open/off position and there must be a procedure to allow fuse withdrawal wherever isolators are not fitted. 

The purpose of these instructions is to ensure that, before any employee performs servicing or maintenance on machinery or equipment, where the unexpected energizing, start-up, or release of any type of energy could occur and cause injury, the machinery or equipment will be rendered safe to work on by being locked out or tagged out. 

Based on the aforementioned reasons, it is essential for all maintenance activities to be applied so that during machine or complex machinery s technological lifespan, the conditions for its safe operation are secured, that is, constant application of active measures for technical and human risks minimization. 

Based on the given facts, all the effective maintenance processes are applied to provide conditions for the safe and reliable operation of machinery systems, technologies, and individual machines during their lifespan, that is, to ensure a constant ability to apply measures to minimize technical and human risks. 

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