Maintenance Technicians

Facility and industrial maintenance techs fix everything from lights to production lines. Because the work changes daily, they face nearly every hazard covered on this site, often alone and under pressure to get things running again.

• General Industry
• Facilities

Top hazards

• Hazardous energy during repairs. See Lockout/Tagout.
• Electrical shock and arc flash. See Electrical Basics.
• Falls from ladders, lifts and roofs
• Confined spaces (tanks, pits, sumps)
• Chemicals (cleaners, refrigerants, water treatment)
• Working alone

Key practices

• Never skip lockout because “it’s just a quick fix.”
• Only do electrical work you’re qualified for, with the right PPE.
• Plan for working alone: check-in calls or a lone-worker app.
• Use permits for confined spaces and hot work.
• Replace guards and test safety devices before returning equipment to service.

The pressure to restart

Downtime costs money, and maintenance techs often feel pressure to get a line running fast. That’s when steps get skipped: no lockout for a “quick” jam, a guard left off, a sensor bypassed. Most maintenance fatalities involve exactly these shortcuts. A good employer backs you when you take the time to do it right.

Common jobs and where to learn more

Before returning equipment to service

• Tools, parts and rags removed from the machine
• All guards replaced and fastened
• Safety devices, interlocks and e-stops tested
• Everyone clear and notified
• Locks removed only by the people who applied them
• Test run done with the operator
• Work order notes and any open issues recorded

Last updated: October 1, 2026