Why maintenance is important
Without proper maintenance things can go dramatically wrong in the workplace
Regular maintenance is essential to keep equipment, machines and the work environment safe and reliable. It helps to eliminate workplace hazards. Lack of maintenance or inadequate maintenance can lead to dangerous situations, accidents and health problems.
Maintenance is a high risk activity. It has to be performed in a safe way!
Maintenance for safety
Proper maintenance is essential for eliminating hazards and managing risks at the workplace. Lack of maintenance or inadequate maintenance can cause serious and deadly accidents.
- Many accidents, such as slips, trips and falls, happen because of lack of maintenance or as a result of poor quality maintenance
- Lack of maintenance and regular service of construction equipment and machinery may lead to their failure and cause injuries to the operators and other workers (e.g. defective conveyors, derricks, hoists, faulty ladders, etc.)
- Poor standards of maintenance are a major underlying cause of accidents in the catering industry. Most accidents resulting from poor maintenance involve equipment (e.g. faults in plugs or cables, poorly maintained gas appliances) or happen due to leaks and spillages.
- Safety critical equipment can fail due to lack of maintenance causing serious accidents
More information on the section dedicated to maintenance on the EU-OSHA website