Building maintenance is something which must take place at some point, whether this involves regular maintenance tasks or more complex undertakings. In some instances, equipment failures may be causing slowdowns within your production. Likewise, if other parts of your building aren’t repaired, maintained or even cleaned often enough, they may pose serious hazards.
While the nature of the maintenance may vary from building to building, what remains consistent is the need for safety.
Here at Metreel, our products are based on safety, efficiency and productivity within industrial settings. We have a specialist page dedicated to our building maintenance equipment. In the meantime, here are our top tips to ensure whatever work needs to be carried out on your premises is done safely.
Before You Get Started With Building Maintenance
- Create an outline of the work needed, and how the tasks will be achieved including whether or not the work needs to be outsourced to specialists.
- Find out whether any special permits or permissions are needed (i.e. if the work could disrupt the public or is considered high-risk).
- Create a risk strategy to minimise disruption, along with the potential for injury or machine damage.
- Consider planning and scheduling to also minimise disruption.
Working At A Height
Falls from a height are the biggest killer of workers on the job, according to data published by the HSE.
Working at a height at any time poses a risk, but these risks may be heightened for maintenance work, especially if it is unfamiliar work, or happens to be a complex problem to solve. As always, working at a height should always be a last resort, when a safer alternative does not exist. If workers must scale heights, then they should be kitted out with the correct fall protection equipment.
Furthermore, building maintenance may require more unusual or specialist fall protection equipment. For instance, abseil equipment which may be required to perform technical work or even clean high-rise windows.
If your building maintenance does involve any working at a height, be sure to give Metreel a call using the information below, so that we can advise on the products most suited to the job.
Fumes Or Contaminants
Products which contain solvents, including those which give off any volatile organic compounds (VOCs) pose risks to respiratory health. VOCs can be found in the likes of paint, paint strippers, varnishes, finishes, sealants, caulks, adhesives, fuels and even cleaning products.
It’s essential that damage to the airways is prevented wherever possible. The exact measures that need to be taken will depend on the VOCs being used to complete the building maintenance. However, it could require specialist breathing apparatus, in addition to ensuring good ventilation during and post work. Another step is to use an air quality monitor, which will alert workers if the air quality is not deemed to be safe.
Machinery Maintenance
Machinery maintenance falls back into our domain, as we provide the likes of jib cranes, workstation cranes, gantries, and monorails along with powerfeed systems.
If you do happen to be an existing Metreel customer and need any advice on the maintenance of your machine, we’d be more than happy to assist you. For all other types of machinery, keeping safe means isolating anything that could potentially be a hazard while the work is being carried out.
Mainly, this involves any electrical systems. Excess weight or even heat from the machine could also pose hazards, so do be sure to consult the product manual to know how to safely shut down the machine before commencing any repair works.
Industrial Cleans
All workplaces, not to mention equipment will require both regular and deep cleaning.
Industrial cleaning can range from power washing your exterior patios to cleaning your warehouse.
There are many hazards that need to be considered, including the risk of slips and trips due to wet surfaces, as well as the risk of electrocution should any water enter any electrical outputs.
As noted above, industrial cleaning products could also pose respiratory health risks, in addition to skin or eye irritation. So, always make sure cleaning products are handled and stored in accordance with the instructions. If there is a chance of sustaining any injuries due to cleaning, make sure these risks are minimised wherever possible, including through the use of signage (i.e. wet floor signs).
General Construction
If your building is undergoing building work, then make sure your workers and the public are protected from construction debris and noise. There are several ways this can be achieved, including only carrying out the work at night, or the use of hoarding to shield the construction zone if work is still taking place around it.
It’s always a good idea to speak to any contracted firms coming in to do maintenance, to reduce any negative impact on your site. As well as the risk of injury from the building work itself, this also includes the potential distractions it may cause your team, and therefore hazards the building work may pose due to a lack of concentration.
Having building regulations or a commercial health and safety expert work out the best way forward helps to keep everyone safe while at work.
Metreel Material Handling – Building Maintenance Equipment Specialists UK
Metreel is a leading UK specialist of building maintenance equipment. Our core focus is on protecting the safety of workers, including preventing uncontrolled access while working at a height.
Some of our related products include Met-Track® Travelling Ladders and Met-Track® Cradle Suspension system. This is in addition to our vast range of fall protection equipment.
Be sure to get in touch with us today if we can assist you in finding the right building maintenance solutions for your needs.
Download our free brochure to discover more about our product specifications by visiting our product brochure page.
If you’re ready to place an order or have any questions, please give us a call on 0115 647 0422 or email us at [email protected].