Most craft workers specialize in one kind of work, such as plumbing or carpentry. General maintenance and repair workers, however, have skills in many different crafts. They repair and maintain machines, mechanical equipment, and buildings and work on plumbing, electrical, and air-conditioning and heating systems. They build partitions, make plaster or drywall repairs, and fix or paint roofs, windows, doors, floors, woodwork, and other parts of building structures. They also maintain and repair specialized equipment and machinery found in cafeterias, laundries, hospitals, stores, offices, and factories.
Typical duties include troubleshooting and fixing faulty electrical switches, repairing air-conditioning motors, and unclogging drains. New buildings sometimes have computer-controlled systems that allow maintenance workers to make adjustments in building settings and monitor for problems from a central location. For example, they can remotely control light sensors that turn off lights automatically after a set amount of time or identify a broken ventilation fan that needs to be replaced.
General maintenance and repair workers inspect and diagnose problems and determine the best way to correct them, frequently checking blueprints, repair manuals, and parts catalogs. They obtain supplies and repair parts from distributors or storerooms. Using common hand and power tools such as screwdrivers, saws, drills, wrenches, and hammers, as well as specialized equipment and electronic testing devices, these workers replace or fix worn or broken parts, where necessary, or make adjustments to correct malfunctioning equipment and machines.
General maintenance and repair workers also perform routine preventive maintenance and ensure that machines continue to run smoothly, building systems operate efficiently, and the physical condition of buildings does not deteriorate. Following a checklist, they may inspect drives, motors, and belts, check fluid levels, replace filters, and perform other maintenance actions. Maintenance and repair workers keep records of their work.
Employees in small establishments, where they are often the only maintenance worker, make all repairs, except for very large or difficult jobs. In larger establishments, duties may be limited to the maintenance of everything in a workshop or a particular area.
Work environment. General maintenance and repair workers often carry out several different tasks in a single day, at any number of locations. They may work inside a single building or in several different buildings. They may have to stand for long periods, lift heavy objects, and work in uncomfortably hot or cold environments, in awkward and cramped positions, or on ladders. Those employed in small establishments often work with only limited supervision. Those in larger establishments frequently work under the direct supervision of an experienced worker. Some tasks put workers at risk of electrical shock, burns, falls, cuts, and bruises.
Most general maintenance workers work a 40-hour week. Some work evening, night, or weekend shifts or are on call for emergency repairs.
| 1. | Repair or replace defective equipment parts using hand tools and power tools, and reassemble equipment. |
| 2. | Perform routine preventive maintenance to ensure that machines continue to run smoothly, building systems operate efficiently, and the physical condition of buildings does not deteriorate. |
| 3. | Inspect drives, motors, and belts, check fluid levels, replace filters, and perform other maintenance actions, following checklists. |
| 4. | Use tools ranging from common hand and power tools, such as hammers, hoists, saws, drills, and wrenches, to precision measuring instruments and electrical and electronic testing devices. |
| 5. | Assemble, install and/or repair wiring, electrical and electronic components, pipe systems and plumbing, machinery, and equipment. |
| 6. | Diagnose mechanical problems and determine how to correct them, checking blueprints, repair manuals, and parts catalogs as necessary. |
| 7. | Inspect, operate, and test machinery and equipment in order to diagnose machine malfunctions. |
| 8. | Record maintenance and repair work performed and the costs of the work. |
| 9. | Clean and lubricate shafts, bearings, gears, and other parts of machinery. |
| 10. | Dismantle devices to gain access to and remove defective parts, using hoists, cranes, hand tools, and power tools. |
| 11. | Plan and lay out repair work using diagrams, drawings, blueprints, maintenance manuals, and schematic diagrams. |
| 12. | Order parts, supplies, and equipment from catalogs and suppliers, or obtain them from storerooms. |
| 13. | Adjust functional parts of devices and control instruments, using hand tools, levels, plumb bobs, and straightedges. |
| 14. | Paint and repair roofs, windows, doors, floors, woodwork, plaster, drywall, and other parts of building structures. |
| 15. | Operate cutting torches or welding equipment to cut or join metal parts. |
| 16. | Align and balance new equipment after installation. |
| 17. | Inspect used parts to determine changes in dimensional requirements, using rules, calipers, micrometers, and other measuring instruments. |
| 18. | Set up and operate machine tools to repair or fabricate machine parts, jigs and fixtures, and tools. |
| 19. | Maintain and repair specialized equipment and machinery found in cafeterias, laundries, hospitals, stores, offices, and factories. |
| 20. | Fabricate and repair counters, benches, partitions, and other wooden structures such as sheds and outbuildings. |
| 21. | Estimate repair costs. |
| 22. | Lay brick to repair and maintain buildings, walls, arches and other structures. |
| 23. | Grind and reseat valves, using valve-grinding machines. |
[Back to Top]