Generic tasks:

Maintenance involves many tasks that expose personnel to hearing & eye hazards, safety glasses & hearing protection must be worn by all personnel in the immediate area where grinding or welding is performed.  When handling metal, hot or cold, protective gloves should be worn.  Prior to any task, there must be an assessment of hazard and risk to the personnel involved, other workers and to the public.  All non routine tasks where hazards are identified a Job Safety Analysis (JSA) should be utilised, the (JSA) must be documented to include details of the controls to be implemented and the person responsible for implementation identified and recorded 

Welding

Arc Welding

 Arc welding must only be performed by personnel who hold a current trade certificate, that confirms that they are competent to perform electric arc welding to the standard required by the task.

Electric arc welding must not be performed where:

• There are other personnel in the immediate area who could be subjected the “arc flash” injury.
• Where there areas polished stainless steel surfaces that are un protected from arc spatter.
• Where there is sandwich styrene panelling that could be subject to hot material.
• Where there is flammable material that could be ignited by sparks

P.P.E. Face shields must be used at all times, and welding curtains deployed so as to eliminate the hazard of  “arc flash” to other personnel in the area.

Welding gloves must be worn.

Eye protection must be maintained by use of the clear view feature of the welding face shield or safety glasses worn under the shield so as to avoid material ejected from the hot surface as the face shield is removed.

Gas welding / cutting

Gas welding must only be performed by personnel who hold a current trade  certificate that confirms that they are competent to perform gas welding / cutting to the standard required by the task

• Gas welding or cutting should only be performed in areas where other personnel are not put at risk from material ejected from the cutting process
• Gas welding or cutting should not be performed where flammable material can be ignited.
• Gas regulators and hoses and anti blow back devices and hand pieces should be inspected for damage prior to use.

CARE MUST BE TAKEN NOT TO LEAVE HOT MATERIAL WHERE INJURY OR FIRE MAY RESULT

Grinding:

Care must be taken to direct ejected material away from other personnel and the other personnel in the immediate area are aware that grinding is about to start
All personnel engaged in grinding must wear eye protection (goggles) while using any type of grinder.
Grinding should not take place where sparks are directed toward polished or painted surfaces.

Lifting:

 All slings and lifting tackle should be inspected prior to use and W.L.L. must not be exceeded, rigging factors must be estimated and taken into account.

Movement of machinery and steel by means of forklift must be done with extreme caution where steel is in contact with the tynes of the forklift, and load centres taken into account so as to avoid exceeding the capacity of the forklift.

Any jacking of machinery must be performed using back up packing and no personnel should place hands or fingers under the load.

Skating of loads must be performed with restraint devices in place before movement of the load where any incline may be encountered

All personnel not directly involved with movement of loads should be clear of the area.

Aerosol cans

Many of the aerosol cans used to avoid weld spatter, clean contacts, lubricate e.t.c. have LP gas used as a propellant many are toxic, they should not be used in confined areas or where there is a source if ignition .

Shut down & start up procedures:

 Each area has procedures for start up and shut down, these procedures must be complied with to ensure safety of all personnel involved in maintenance and production.

Electrical: 

All plug in leads should be inspected, tested and tagged at regular intervals.
Leads must be kept off the floor by using stands, care should be taken to ensure that leads do not pass through an area where further hazards can be created.
Leads must not pass through water or wet areas.
Power tools should not be used with the switch locked down unless used in conjunction with attachments that require that the switch be locked on.

Work on sandwich panels:

 Sandwich panel has been to cause of catastrophic events where sandwich panel has ignited undetected  as the result of hot work, drilling or  hole saws, have been used.

Hot/Cold work:

 Where hot/cold work eg. welding, grinding, heating, burning, is to take place a hot work permit may be required refer to “Hot/cold Work Permit” in the General OHS  Manual.