Safe maintenance
Maintenance is essential to ensure uninterrupted productivity, to produce high quality products and to maintain the competitiveness of the company. However, it also affects occupational safety and health. First of all, good maintenance is essential to keep equipment, machines and the working environment safe and reliable. Secondly, maintenance itself is a high-risk activity that must be carried out safely, with proper protection for maintenance workers and other people present in the workplace.
The figures
The importance of safety in maintenance can hardly be overestimated. Research shows that the risk of a fatal accident for a maintenance technician is 6 times higher than for a fireman, and as much as 50 times higher than an office worker. It is estimated that around 15-20% (depending on the country) of all accidents and 10-15% of all fatal accidents are related to maintenance operations.
Maintenance - repair, setting, adjusting - is fourth in the top 10 work processes with the highest number of fatal accidents in the years 2003-2005 (EUROSTAT-ESAW). It is becoming increasingly common for accidents to occur not during normal operation, but during repairs, maintenance, cleaning, adjustment, etc.
According to a survey carried out in France in 2005, maintenance is the most subcontracted function in industry. An analysis of a French database of occupational accidents shows that in 2002 maintenance workers were the second most frequent victims of accidents related to subcontracted services, right after construction workers. An analysis of the results of a national survey of working conditions in Spain (2007) shows that maintenance workers are more exposed than other workers to noise and to hand, arm and whole-body vibrations.
They are also more exposed to hazardous substances, fumes and smoke. Around 25% of all accidents involving electrical injuries are caused by portable electrical equipment. Faulty cables to appliances cause around 2000 fires per year. A major cause of such accidents and fires is inadequate inspection and maintenance (HSE).
Lees het volledige rapport van OSHA over onderhoud en veiligheid
Information on safe maintenance
BEMAS regularly organises study sessions and training courses on the subject of 'safe maintenance'. So keep an eye on our kalender.
In addition, a wealth of information on this topic can be found online:
- The Europees Agentschap for Safety and Health at Work has a lot of articles and figures on safe maintenance
- Bekijk instructiefilmpjes met figuur NAPO rond veilig onderhoud.
BEMAS helps you on your way
- Within the framework of the safe maintenance campaign, BEMAS conducted a study on the relationship between maintenance and safety. We can always come to interested members to give a presentation on 'the basics of safe maintenance'. Please contact us via info@bemas.org.
- If you want to take initiatives concerning safer maintenance as a company, please do not hesitate to contact us. We will be happy to help you on your way...
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