Maintenance Operations
Where Regulation 5 requires work equipment to be maintained, Regulation 22 deals with the risks that may be involved during maintenance periods. Regulation's 8 and 9 on information, instruction and training should also be considered.
During maintenance periods with guards removed etc., machinery may present a greater risk to the maintainer than during normal working operations. In most cases the manufacturer should have considered the need for safe maintenance at the design stage. The manufacturer should therefore be able to supply information on safe maintenance procedures. For example lubrication points on equipment should be designed so that they can be accessed safely during normal operation of the equipment, without the removal of safety guards.

Employers may wish to consider the following during maintenance:

Employers should ensure that all personnel carrying out maintenance are suitably trained to do so.

If possible during maintenance periods the equipment is switched off.

If equipment has to be running then other safe guards should be considered such as:

Provision of temporary guards.

 

Limiting power, speed or range of movement.

Providing personal protective clothing.

 

See Also

Maintenance Log

Record Keeping

 

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