OHS Management System: Risk Management
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> Introduction to Risk Management |
> Pets |
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Plant and Equipment Maintenance
- What is plant?
- What risks are associated with plant?
- What are my obligations?
- Infection control of equipment
- Templates & References
What is plant?
Your organisation will have a range of plant and equipment in use. Plant includes all machinery and equipment both stationary and mobile, tools and implements used in the workplace.
Some examples of plant you may have include lawn mowers, washing machines, lifting devices, photocopiers and other office equipment. You need to ensure that your plant is suitable for the task to be performed.
Chapter 5 of the OHS Regulation 2001 outlines specific requirements for plant and equipment. Additional information about electrical equipment is included in Chapter 4, Division 4.
What risks are associated with plant?
You should consult with employees and supervisors about any health and safety risks associated with the operation of your plant and equipment and implement control strategies where possible.
Injuries that occur from unsafe plant and equipment range form minor cuts and burns to traumatic injuries such as amputation, broken bones and death.
What are my obligations?
Your obligations in relation to plant and equipment in your workplace are broken into three areas:
- Installation, erection and commissioning
- Use of plant
- Maintenance and repair
Installation, erection and commissioning of plant
- Ensure that the instructions of the designer, manufacturer, supplier or a competent person (qualified tradesperson) are followed.
- Use a competent person to undertake the work and provide all information necessary to ensure that risks are eliminated or controlled.
- Choose a suitable location for the plant to operate in.
- Ensure that fixed plant is secure and will not move inadvertently when in operation.
- Make sure there is enough clear space around the plant for it to be safely used, cleaned and repaired.
- Make sure safety features (e.g. alarm systems, safety doors, emergency lighting) are provided and working effectively.
Use of plant
- Provide information, training and supervision for employees.
- Use plant only for the purpose for which it was designed (unless a competent person has assessed that a proposed change in use does not present a health and safety risk).
- Make sure safety features or warning devices are used as intended.
- Provide appropriate guarding (or safe working procedures) if plant has moving parts, and it is not possible to eliminate the risk of entanglement or breakage.
- Ensure employees do not work between, or walk on parts of plant.
- Develop safe working procedures to ensure people are not at risk from moving plant or plant which could start to operate without warning.
- Make sure that no unauthorised interference or alteration of the plant occurs.
- Ensure that appropriate tests, checks and inspections are made of the plant.
- If plant becomes unsafe, stop it from being used until risks have been eliminated or, if this is not practical, controlled.
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Do your staff need training in how to use the equipment correctly? |
Maintenance and repair of plant
- Regularly inspect hand tools and repair or replace them when necessary.
- Carry out routine maintenance on equipment as required by the manufacturer.
- Ensure that electrical equipment is tagged and tested in accordance with the Australian Standard AS/NZS 3760:2003 Inservice safety inspection and testing of electrical equipment . See also WorkCover Position Paper Electrical testing and fault finding
- Make sure guards and other safety devices are routinely checked and kept in working order.
- Make necessary adjustments.
- Replace damaged and worn parts.
- Ensure necessary facilities or safe working procedures are provided for the safety of people doing the work.
- Ensure the work is done in accordance with procedures recommended by the designer, manufacturer or supplier (or a competent person).
- Ensure that safety features and warning devices are maintained and tested.
- Ensure that a competent person assesses and provides advice on damaged plant, and undertakes repair, inspection and testing work.
- Ensure that during maintenance, cleaning and repair, plant is stopped and isolated, and devices, controls or safe working procedures used to safeguard the people doing the work.
- Keep maintenance records.
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A planned approach to maintenance requires that a schedule is developed to address all plant and equipment in a systematic way. For electrical equipment, the tag and test program will be an impetus for other maintenance tasks. |
A simple maintenance book is suitable for noting maintenance tasks which may arise on a day to day basis. Ensure that maintenance tasks are clearly noted down and that when the task is completed, the book is signed and dated. |
Infection control of equipment
Equipment should be thoroughly cleaned between residents/clients to eliminate cross infection. Particular attention needs to be paid to equipment which comes into contact with bodily fluids.
Check with the manufacturer regarding cleaning procedures to be adopted that comply with your infection control procedures.
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Ensure that loan equipment is thoroughly cleaned before returning to the loan pool. |
Some equipment should be purchased and not loaned, such as commode pans and urinals. |
Templates & References
Australian Standard AS/NZS 3760:2003 Inservice safety inspection and testing of electrical equipment
Testing and Tagging of Electrical Equipment