Maintenance Work Safety

Workplaces must be maintained on a regular basis to ensure clean and sanitary environments for employees. While maintenance efforts are made to eliminate and minimize occupational health and safety risks, it is equally important to ensure the health and safety of the maintenance workers while they do their jobs.

Chemical Safety

• Maintenance workers handle many types of chemicals that are used for cleaning and disinfecting work environments. Some cleaning agents are more potent than others and can cause negative health effects, such as burns to the skin. When handling chemicals it is essential for maintenance workers to wear gloves and clothes that protect their bodies from head to toe.

Struck-by Hazards

• Maintenance activities expose workers to the risk of struck-by incidents. Shelves or heavy file folders, for example, have the potential to fall on top of workers, if accidentally bumped when maintenance crews tidy the areas surrounding them. To minimize this risk, employers must ensure that furniture, shelving and supplies are stable and stationary.

Walking and Working Surfaces

• Tripping, slipping and falling are the primary cause of workplace accidents, according to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Since maintenance workers are responsible for walking around and performing various activities in a workplace, it is essential that walking and working surfaces are free from slip-and-fall or trip-and-fall hazards. Walking and working surfaces must be kept dry and clean.