When it comes to workplace friction, tensions between maintenance and safety can run high. Ask any maintenance worker for their top workplace complaint and it’s likely to involve the pressure of meeting strict deadlines; a problem often made worse by interruptions from the SHEQ (Safety, Health, Environmental, and Quality) manager about how to complete procedures safely.  

Of course, failing to correctly follow maintenance procedures can lead to serious consequences. So, it’s no surprise that SHEQ managers monitor maintenance activities so closely. But beneath the surface tension is an obvious common goal – safety! After all, maintenance is a critical safety function that ensures mechanical integrity and hazard control. 

With that in mind, fostering collaboration between these two critical functions is essential to workplace safety. And what better framework to build collaboration around than EHSQ software? 

Maintenance: a safety necessity and high-risk activity 

To better understand why maintenance and safety often clash, it helps to look more closely at their roles and responsibilities.  

The maintenance team is responsible for ensuring that all facilities, equipment, and machinery are in top working condition. This is essential, as employees are put at risk when working in poorly maintained facilities or on or near improperly maintained equipment. Through routine checks, proactive repairs, and corrective maintenance, they identify hazards, prevent potential malfunctions, and mitigate risks – all contributing to a safer workplace. 

It sounds as though they’re on the same side as the SHEQ team. But here’s the catch: maintenance is a high-risk activity. Unlike routine operations, where automation reduces the likelihood of human error, maintenance involves unusual work, non-routine tasks, and exceptional conditions such as working in confined spaces, alongside a running process, and in close contact with machinery. These factors increase the risk of errors and hazards. When you add tight deadlines to the mix, rushing repairs and failing to follow safety protocols can increase these risks.  

Focusing on a shared objective: safety 

Whilst maintenance teams focus on equipment and prioritize completing the task at hand, safety professionals prioritize the safety of individuals. And when it comes to maintenance activities, the stakes are high. They must safeguard maintenance staff in non-ideal conditions and against pressing time constraints, whilst ensuring that the maintenance work doesn’t expose others to risk. 

Yet both teams ultimately share the same goal: keeping people safe from harm. Recognizing and remembering this is key to defusing the tension between them. When equal weight is given to the knowledge and expertise of both teams, they can collaboratively create a plan for safely executing tasks. The maintenance manager brings expertise in how to complete the task, and the safety manager contributes insights into the associated hazards and risks. 

Facilitating frictionless communication 

So, how can workplaces bring safety and maintenance onto the same page? Good communication is crucial. And, when complex processes are involved – there is no greater tool than EHSQ software.  

EHSQ software provides a unifying platform, promoting transparency, collaboration, and communication between safety and maintenance teams. 

Both teams can collaborate on creating safe and efficient maintenance workflows — maintenance outlines the task, safety spots potential hazards, and together they create a process that mitigates the risk. Come maintenance time, the team has a safe, ready-to-roll process, eliminating the need for last-minute safety consultations and delays.  

Automated notifications keep everyone in the loop, reducing response times and minimizing frustration. And the centralized platform takes the knowledge of the safety team and funnels the right details to the maintenance team precisely when they need it, avoiding information overload. 

It maintains human interaction between the various roles in the manufacturing workplace, easing the tensions that can arise in face-to-face interaction.  

The role of EHSQ software in managing maintenance  

So, what are the key processes involved in maintenance activities? And how exactly does a comprehensive EHSQ software platform, such as TenForce, smooth human interaction in a real workplace?  

#1. Initiating maintenance 

Maintenance tasks enter EHSQ software through various pathways, including routine identification by mechanical integrity programs or through incidents triggering audits, and corrective and preventive actions. Once the need for maintenance is identified, a work order is generated and fed back into the EHSQ software. 

#2. Integrated risk management 

The software integrates risk management, eliminating the need for constant consultation between maintenance and safety teams. Safety managers input hazards and risks associated with specific criteria, providing maintenance teams with built-in hazard analyses and task-specific risk assessments. 

#3. Automated safety protocols  

Based on identified hazards, modules like Permit to Work or Lock Out Tag Out are triggered, ensuring the safety of equipment during maintenance. These modules also guarantee proper startup procedures post-maintenance, verifying the safe operation of equipment. 

#4. Keeping contractors safe 

Contractor Management is crucial for outsourced maintenance tasks, verifying that contractors possess the necessary skills, qualifications, and certifications. The module guides contractors through the induction process, providing access to the site and task-specific information for seamless task completion. 

#5. Assessing competence and skillsets 

Competence Management provides the safety manager with assurance that the maintenance team can complete tasks safely. OSHA emphasizes that “employers need to ensure that workers have the skills that they need to carry out the necessary tasks, are informed about safe work procedures, and know what to do when a situation exceeds their competence.” 

#6. Coordinated shift management 

Clear communication about scheduled maintenance, permits, and Lock Out Tag Out procedures ensures coordinated and safe task execution across shifts, contributing to a smooth and organized workflow. Timely communication allows for proactive adjustments to the shift management, optimizing efficiency throughout the maintenance period. 

#7. One source of truth 

Document Control serves as the foundation for the entire maintenance process. It ensures that essential, up-to-date information, including maintenance logs, permits to work, Lock Out Tag Out procedures (LoTos), and SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures), is readily available and easily accessible to both maintenance and safety teams, facilitating an efficient workflow.  

Your next step to achieving workplace unity 

The relationship between maintenance and safety can be difficult, especially when high-risk activities meet strict safety protocols. But recognizing the shared goal of workplace safety can help both teams find common ground. 

EHSQ software acts as a unifying platform, harmonizing the maintenance processes. Its various modules, built on a foundation of robust action management and workflows, alleviate tension in human interactions. By reducing response times and fostering collaboration, the software propels both teams towards their common objective: maintaining a safe and efficient workplace. 

To bring your maintenance and safety teams onto the same page, book a demo today.