About safe maintenance

Magazine 12 - Healthy Workplaces. A European Campaign on Safe Maintenance

This Magazine is part of the resources produced to support the European Campaign on Safe Maintenance. The articles in the Magazine demonstrate the wide range of maintenance related issues that have an impact on maintenance safety and more generally on safety and health at work. These include, among others, maintenance organisation, maintenance planning, risk assessment, human behaviour, chemical safety, design, subcontracting maintenance, communication and training, and inspection of personal protective equipment.

Factsheet 100 - Legionella and legionnaires’ disease: European policies and good practices

Legionnaires’ disease is usually thought of as a public health issue rather than an occupational health matter, even though it often strikes workers in places at high risk of outbreak (which include cooling towers, premises where mist machines are present, biological waste water treatment facilities, carwash plants, healthcare facilities, spas and hotels). This factsheet summarises the occupational aspects of exposure to Legionella. It is based on an overview of European policies related to Legionella and Legionnaires’ disease and case studies on how to control Legionella risks.

Maintenance in Agriculture - A Safety and Health Guide

Agricultural workers suffer 1.7 times the average rate of non-fatal occupational accidents and 3 times the rate of fatal accidents, making the sector particularly hazardous. This guide describes the main hazards and risks associated with maintenance activities in agriculture and the most common causes of accidents and ill health. The guide also provides advice on risk management, examples of good practice in accident prevention and policies and campaigns at national level. Finally, it includes examples of checklists for safe maintenance in agriculture.

Factsheet 99 - Safe maintenance in agriculture

Agricultural workers suffer 1.7 times the average rate of non-fatal occupational accidents and 3 times the rate of fatal accidents, making the sector particularly hazardous. In addition to the hazards and risks usually present on farms, maintenance tasks bear some specific hazards. Self-employment, and the fact that farming is often a family business, are an additional challenge for occupational safety and health in agriculture. This factsheet provides concise information on how to carry out maintenance tasks safely.

Legionella and Legionnaires’ disease: a policy overview

The report ‘Legionella and legionnaires’ disease: a policy overview’ presents the Europeans regulatory framework and policies related to Legionella, including guidelines and recommendations of international organisations. Legionnaires’ disease is seen primarily a public health issue rather than an occupational health matter, even though it often affects workers. The report also points out the occupational aspects of exposure to Legionella.

E-fact 56: Maintenance and work-related road safety

Poor vehicle maintenance is an important contributor to road traffic accidents. In road transport operations, vehicle maintenance, and other work-related road safety issues should be integrated into arrangements for managing health and safety at work, which in turn should be part of everyday business management.

European good practice awards 2010/11 - a European campaign on safe maintenance

As part of the European Campaign 2010–11 on Safe Maintenance, EU-OSHA organised the European Good Practice Awards Competition (the tenth such competition), aiming to identify examples of good practice in the management of occupational safety and health during maintenance. The awards recognise organisations that have made an outstanding and innovative contribution to Safe Maintenance. Through the competition EU-OSHA promotes good practice solutions at the workplace and shares information about good practice across Europe. Forty entries from 22 Member States and Turkey were received, including organisations of all sizes and from a wide variety of industrial sectors.

E-fact 55: Safe maintenance of fishing vessels

Maintenance of fishing vessels includes surveys and repairs in dry-dock undertaken by ship yard workers and contractors as well as minor and routine repairs undertaken by ship’s crew at sea or in wet dock. Emergency repairs carried out at sea are particularly risky, due to possible adverse weather conditions, the need to complete the repairs quickly, the lack of adequate tools or equipment, or the lack of necessary skills. This e-fact provides information on the hazards associated with maintenance of fishing vessels and summarises the essential principles to assure safe and effective maintenance operations on board fishing vessels and contains some recommendations for preventive measures to control the risks during those operations.

E-fact 54: Safe maintenance of portable tools in construction

Poorly maintained portable tools in construction (either hand tools or powered tools) present significant health and safety risks to the workers using them. Constant care and adequate maintenance and storage are essential for the safe use of portable tools at construction sites. In practice, this involves daily visual inspections aimed at detecting signs of possible fault. Proper service and maintenance helps eliminating / minimising the hazards and risks related to the use of portable tools, but maintenance of portable tools also bears some specific risks and it has to be done safely. This e-facts provides information on hazards and risks associated with portable tools on construction sites and how to manage those risks.

Safe maintenance in practice

Maintenance is not only necessary to ensure reliability of technical structures or productivity of the company, but regular maintenance has an important role in providing safer and healthier working conditions. While maintenance is absolutely essential to keep equipment, machines and the work environment safe and reliable and prevent harm, the maintenance work itself is a high-risk activity. This report provides information on successful initiatives in the workplace illustrating how safety and health risks associated with maintenance can be managed. Many companies, insurers and authorities have successfully developed solutions to improve safety and health during maintenance. The new approaches presented in this report demonstrate clearly that good occupational safety and health (OSH) management practices are at the heart of reliable and safe maintenance.

Factsheet 96 - Safe maintenance in practice – Success factors

Buildings and machinery become unsafe if they are not maintained properly. Yet maintenance can be a high-risk activity. Safe procedures for maintenance operations should be part of companies’ safety management systems. This is more likely to happen if there is management commitment, employee involvement, effective risk assessment, good communication, safety training and effective use of more than one preventive measure. Many companies consider maintenance operations at the design stage of buildings and equipment to help eliminate risks during future maintenance operations.

E-fact 52: Safe maintenance – food and drink manufacturing

Food and drink manufacturing comprises many different industries. It ranges from fruit and vegetable processing, bakeries, grain milling or dairy processing to sugar refineries and slaughterhouses. The beverage manufacturing includes beer, wine and spirits production as well as soft drinks and mineral water. Although food and beverages are processed in a strictly controlled environment to ensure a high standard of hygienic and safe food production, it is not at all a ‘low risk’ sector in terms of the safety and health of workers.

Maintenance and Occupational Safety and Health: a statistical picture

Around 6% of workers are involved in maintenance activities on a daily basis. Because they carry out a wide range of different activities, they are exposed to many and varied hazards at work. There are physical hazards (e.g., noise, vibration, excessive heat and cold, radiation, high physical workload), chemical hazards (work with asbestos, welding, exposure to dangerous substances when working in confined spaces), biological hazards (legionella), and psychosocial hazards (poor work organisation). Maintenance workers are also at risk of all types of accidents. Figures from EUROSTAT indicate that around 10-15% of all fatal accidents are related to maintenance operations.

OSH in figures: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders in the EU - Facts and figures

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) remain the most common occupational disease in the European Union and workers in all sectors and occupations can be affected. Recent figures, for example from Austria, Germany or France, also demonstrate an increasing impact of musculoskeletal disorders on costs. This latest report, following on from the Agency’s previous research, aims to give an updated overview of the current European situation as regards musculoskeletal disorders, the trends over the years since the first campaign in 2000, and a detailed insight into the causes and circumstances behind MSDs. The report highlights the main issues and aims to provide a well-founded evidence base, helping policy makers, actors at enterprise and sector level, as well as researchers and those who record, prevent and compensate occupational diseases in the European Union to set the agenda for the next years.

E-fact 49: Safe maintenance - quarrying sector

Quarrying is one of the most dangerous industries to work in: quarry workers are twice as likely to be killed in an accident at work as construction workers, and 13 times more likely to die at work as those in manufacturing industries . The use of large earth-moving vehicles and machines, the handling of explosives and heavy loads, ever-present airborne dust, and simply working on dangerous sites are all aspects of quarrying that increase the risk of both accidents and occupational diseases. A significant proportion of fatalities in the quarrying sector are associated with maintenance work, the use of vehicles and fixed machinery, and falls from height . Many accidents happen during maintenance work and these might affect not only maintenance staff but also other workers on site.

E-fact 48: Safe maintenance – asbestos in building maintenance

Asbestos is the collective name for several naturally occurring fibrous silicate minerals that can be separated into thin, durable threads. It was once widely used because of its properties: it is heat resistant, withstands acids and other chemicals, and it is a good insulator. Although the use of asbestos has been banned in EU, millions of cubic metres of materials containing asbestos are still in place in existing buildings. Building maintenance workers are at a high risk of coming into contact with asbestos when working on insulations in buildings and industrial installations such as pipes, roofs, walls etc. This E-fact will help building maintenance companies and workers become more aware of the risks of asbestos, and develop the knowledge and skills to avoid exposure to the hazardous fibres.

Factsheet 90 - Maintenance and OSH — A statistical picture

Occupational diseases and work-related health problems (such as asbestosis, cancer, hearing problems, and musculoskeletal disorders) are prevalent among workers involved in maintenance activities. Maintenance workers are also at risk of all types of accidents. EUROSTAT data from five EU countries indicate that at least 15-20% of all accidents and 10-15% of all fatal accidents are related to maintenance operations (in 2006). It is essential to implement appropriate risk assessment procedures for maintenance operations, as well as employing adequate preventive measures to ensure the safety and health of workers involved in maintenance activities.

Factsheet 89 - Safe maintenance – For employers Safe workers – Save money

Maintenance is carried out in every workplace and in all industry sectors. Considering the wide range of hazards and risks associated with maintenance, it may be necessary to include it in the comprehensive management system of the company. Allocating sufficient time and resources, ensuring training and competence of the maintenance staff, putting in place safe systems of work based on an appropriate risk assessment, effective communication between production and maintenance staff are key issues.

Factsheet 88 - Safe maintenance — Safe workers

Maintenance is carried out in every workplace and in all industry sectors. It is included in the everyday duties of most workers, not just maintenance technicians and engineers. Workers involved in maintenance operations are exposed to many hazards; therefore the employer must conduct a risk assessment for the operation, and involve workers in this process. The results of the risk assessment should be communicated to everybody concerned. Safe systems of work need to be followed even when there is time pressure.

Report - Skin diseases and dermal exposure: policy and practice overview

Skin diseases are the second most common work-related health problem in Europe. They represent more than 7% of all occupational illnesses and are one of the most important emerging risks related to the exposure to chemical, physical and biological risk factors. The fact that there is no scientific method to measure the level of the body’s exposures to risks via dermal contact and their physiological consequences, increases the importance of recognising risk factors and developing methods of assessing the level of exposure and controlling it. This report presents an overview of dermal exposures and occupational skin diseases. It also presents the principal policies relating to the recognition and recording of skin diseases, as well as the recognition, assessment and control of dermal exposure to chemical, biological and physical risk factors in the Member States of the European Union.

Report - Noise in figures

A growing proportion of workers are employed in the service sector. This is why this report not only includes information for the traditionally well-known noise-exposed sectors such as construction, manufacturing or agriculture, but also for more female dominated service-oriented professions, such as education or call centres.

Factsheet 44 - How to convey OSH information effectively: the case of dangerous substances

Within the EU’s legislative framework, worker information and consultation about hazardous chemical agents occurring in the workplace, health and safety risks and protective and preventive measures is a legal obligation of the employer. The employer shall inform not only workers and their representatives but also employers from any outside undertaking. The information shall be provided in a manner appropriate to the outcome of the risk assessment. This may vary from oral communication to individual instruction and training supported by information in writing. Persons involved in implementing occupational health and safety measures at workplace level, such as employers or workers’ safety representatives, sometimes find it difficult to obtain specific and practical information on dangerous substances. For the European Week for Safety and Health 2003, the Agency has therefore collected some good practice examples describing how to transfer information effectively to different target groups and how to assess the relevance of the information for these groups. The aim is to provide policy makers, chemical suppliers, researchers, safety professionals, employers and intermediary parties (such as the social partners) with practical information to support, adapt and assess their approach. Nineteen good practice examples from across Europe were chosen and grouped relating to the level on which the information was dealt with.

Factsheet 41 - Biological agents

The theme for the European Week for Safety and Health at Work 2003 is the prevention of risks from dangerous substances. The Agency is producing a series of factsheets focusing on the communication of occupational safety and health-related information on dangerous substances including biological agents. Biological agents are found in many sectors. As they are rarely visible, the risks they pose are not always appreciated. They include bacteria, viruses, fungi (yeasts and moulds) and parasites.

Factsheet 40 - Skin sensitisers

Occupational skin diseases are estimated to cost the EU EUR 600 million each year, resulting in around 3 million lost working days. They affect virtually all industry and business sectors and force many workers to change jobs. The Agency is producing a series of factsheets on occupational safety and health information about dangerous substances for the European Week for Safety and Health at Work 2003. This factsheet contains information on skin sensitisers as well as preventive measures for skin exposure.

Factsheet 39 - Respiratory sensitisers

For the European Week for Safety and Health at Work 2003, the Agency is producing a series of factsheets focusing on the communication of occupational safety and health-related information on dangerous substances. Respiratory sensitisers are biological and chemical agents that can induce allergic respiratory diseases in humans. This factsheet discusses important characteristics of the exposure to these agents and appropriate prevention measures.

Factsheet 35 - Communicating information about dangerous substances

The Agency is producing a series of factsheets on occupational safety and health information about dangerous substances for the European Week for Safety and Health at Work 2003. Effective communication about the risks to workers’ health and their management in the workplace is a common challenge for employers, workers, and their representatives. This factsheet presents points to consider for successful communication.

Factsheet 34 - Elimination and substitution of dangerous substances

The theme for the European Week for Safety and Health at Work 2003 is the prevention of risks from dangerous substances. The Agency is producing a series of factsheets focusing on the communication of OSH information on dangerous substances including biological agents. This factsheet introduces the process of eliminating or substituting dangerous substances.

Factsheet 33 - An introduction to dangerous substances in the workplace

Dangerous substances are found in many workplaces. A recent survey found that 16 % of workers in Europe reported handling hazardous products and 22 % being exposed to toxic vapours. Exposure to dangerous substances can occur anywhere at work, on farms, in hairdressers’ shops, in motor-vehicle repair shops, at chemical plants. Dangerous substances can cause many different types of harm. Some cause cancer, others can affect the ability to reproduce or cause birth defects. Other substances may cause brain damage, harm to the nervous system, asthma, and skin problems. The harm done by dangerous substances can occur from a single short exposure or by the long-term accumulation of substances in the body. The theme for the European Week for Safety and Health at Work 2003 is the prevention of risks from dangerous substances. The Agency is producing a series of factsheets focusing on the communication of occupational safety and health-related information on dangerous substances including biological agents. This factsheet introduces the key issues in this topic.