Maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) is vital for keeping your business running smoothly. An intrinsic part of this is workplace safety as, in the absence of safety products and personal protection equipment (PPE), your staff will be unable to carry out necessary maintenance tasks without risking serious injury.
This guide explains how to ensure high levels of safety within the context of MRO by exploring safety systems, safety products, and how to manage workplace protection.
Embracing a Safety-First Culture in MRO
Safety is essential for success in the fast-paced maintenance sector. Workplace safety is crucial for both operational effectiveness and employee well-being due to the combination of heavy machinery, intricate operations, and high-pressure settings.
Establishing a culture that values safety begins from the top. To make sure that safety is not only a duty but also a shared value, leadership must actively encourage and set an example of safe behaviour. This comprises:
- Frequent sharing of safety objectives and accomplishments.
- Programs that honour staff members who exhibit exceptional safety practices.
- Promoting a proactive strategy for risk identification and mitigation.
“Maintenance operations typically include both disassembly and reassembly, often involving complicated machinery. This can be associated with a greater risk of human error, increasing the accident risk.”
Safe maintenance in practice, European Agency for Safety and Health at Work
According to the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work report, maintenance workers, depending on their specific occupation, might be exposed to a variety of different risks and hazards, including physical, ergonomic, chemical, biological, psychosocial, and accidents. The maintenance-specific hazards and risks are often involved with the use of machinery, changing tasks and environments as well as working under pressure, especially during shutdown or high-priority repairs. This is why it is key to create a culture that prioritises safety standards.
Top Maintenance Safety Practices to Follow
After embracing the safety-first culture and ensuring that safety standards are a priority, it is time to implement some maintenance safety tips.
1. Invest in Employee Training
Comprehensive training is essential for equipping employees with the knowledge and skills necessary to handle equipment safely and respond effectively to emergencies. This begins with thorough onboarding programs that introduce new hires to safety protocols and hazard awareness, ensuring they start their roles with a strong foundation. Ongoing education is equally important, as regular refresher courses and hands-on training sessions keep safety practices fresh and top-of-mind.
Additionally, providing access to specialised certifications for tasks like handling hazardous materials, working in confined spaces, or operating advanced machinery ensures that employees are well-prepared for specific challenges in their roles. By prioritising continuous learning, organizations can foster a workforce that is both competent and confident in maintaining safety standards.
2. Focus on Personal Protection Equipment
PPE is fundamental to MRO safety in that, regardless of the kind of maintenance and repair work that you need to carry out, many of the products listed below will almost certainly be required:
- Head protection such as hard hats, safety helmets and bump caps are essential as they often save lives. However, such protection can also include face shields, safety glasses and disposable head and face gear, including hairnets and beard masks.
- Safety clothing with features for high visibility is also important and is typically required in MRO environments. Other safety clothing may include waterproofs, body warmers, chemical-resistant, flame-retardant and anti-static clothing. Gloves also fall into this category, with non-conductive and thermally insulating gloves being common sub-groups. Additionally, Foot protection such as safety boots may also be required.
- Fall protection is necessary for any work involving heights. It comprises harnesses, positioning belts, lanyards and safety ropes, as well as winches and tripods.
- Respiratory protection is needed wherever staff are likely to work around dangerous chemicals and vapours. This includes respiratory face masks and dust masks that filter out airborne particles resulting from materials such as drywall, brick, wood, fibreglass, or silica.
- Hearing protection is another indispensable category that encompasses earmuffs and earplugs to protect staff in noisy environments. Such environments can include any workplace where volume exceeds normal levels.
3. Leverage Technology for Safety
The integration of advanced technologies in MRO processes can revolutionise safety outcomes by minimising risks and enhancing efficiency. Predictive maintenance tools, powered by sensors and IoT, enable real-time monitoring of equipment health, allowing potential issues to be addressed before they escalate into failures.
Wearable safety devices, such as smart helmets or vests, provide workers with critical insights by tracking vital signs and alerting them to hazardous conditions in their environment. Digital safety management systems further streamline safety efforts by automating tasks like incident reporting, compliance tracking, and safety audits, reducing administrative burdens and improving accuracy. These technological advancements not only protect workers but also contribute to a more resilient and proactive safety culture.
Also, new technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) or virtual reality (VR) can help to create a safer tomorrow at work. AI-powered systems can now detect and react to hazards in real time and VR next-gen training can take boring training to the next level using emerging technologies, at the same time, also enhancing safety.
4. Encourage Personal Hygiene and First Aid
Workplace safety often rests on an MRO team having a rigorous hygiene policy. Ensuring that workers take responsibility for cleaning themselves and replacing dirty or contaminated clothing is paramount since it can prevent the occurrence and spread of illnesses and infections.
Similarly, it’s also important to have an effective first-aid policy and capability. While the right safety equipment and practices should keep accidents to a minimum, it’s always difficult to completely eliminate risk, particularly when human error may be a factor.
As such, MRO workplaces should be well-equipped both with amply stocked first aid kits and with people on site who are trained in administering first aid. In fact, most countries have laws in place which obligate employers to do just this so it’s not only a health and productivity requirement, but also a legal one.
5. Ensure Site Safety and Signage
Aside from having the right equipment and training in place, workplace safety flows from MRO managers ensure that their site is appropriately organised. In practice, this means two things:
Firstly, it requires MRO managers to ensure a sufficient level of monitoring of workplace activities and of MRO personnel. It is essential that MRO managers and leaders maintain a ‘bird’s eye’ view of everything happening on site. This can involve the use of a computer maintenance management system (CMMS) or an enterprise asset management (EAM) system to ensure that necessary safety equipment is properly stored and preserved. It also involves ensuring that individuals are monitored for levels of stress and that MRO practices and conditions are regularly reevaluated from the perspective of safety.
Secondly, it means that MRO sites should be physically organised in a manner conducive to optimum safety. This includes labelling hazards or potential dangers with visible workplace signs. For example, if a particular area is dangerous it should be demarcated with appropriate safety markings.
6. Take Responsibility
Although From 2023 to 2024, there was a 23% decrease in the number of fatal work-related incidents, incidents still happen and there are cases of people even losing their lives at work. However, because safety is neither an automated process nor something that directly impacts a company’s bottom line, it doesn’t always receive the full attention that it deserves.
Summary: MRO Safety Solutions
It is therefore essential that MRO managers take responsibility for workplace protection and the safety systems that their sites have in place. They need to ensure that all personnel are equipped with the necessary PPE, that technicians follow best practices, and that workflows are constantly monitored for potential dangers. It is only by ensuring adequate safety that risk can be kept to a minimum.
In the MRO sector, safety is a continuous commitment rather than a one-time accomplishment. Organisations can guarantee a safer, more effective workplace by emphasising a proactive approach, utilising contemporary tools, and cultivating a culture of continuous improvement. Investing in safety is not only essential in today’s changing environment, but it is also essential for long-term success.
