Machinery Maintenance Workers
On the Job
Machinery Maintenance Workers perform routine maintenance on machinery. They may lubricate or change parts.
Physical Demands 
This career requires time standing, walking, or running.
Typical Work Tasks
People who work in this career often:
- Lubricate equipment to allow proper functioning.
- Repair worn, damaged, or defective mechanical parts.
- Replace worn, damaged, or defective mechanical parts.
- Inspect mechanical equipment to locate damage, defects, or wear.
- Test fluids to identify contamination or other problems.
- Test mechanical equipment to ensure proper functioning.
- Read work orders or descriptions of problems to determine repairs or modifications needed.
- Operate cranes, hoists, or other moving or lifting equipment.
- Observe equipment in operation to detect potential problems.
- Clean equipment, parts, or tools to repair or maintain them in good working order.
Typical Working Conditions
- Wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats, or life jackets.
- Having face-to-face discussions.
- Exposure to sounds or noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable.
- Exposure to hazardous equipment.
- Using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools, or controls.
- The importance of being accurate or exact.
- Working with a group or team.
- Meeting strict deadlines.
- Freedom to make decisions without supervision.
- Close physical proximity with other people.
- Responsibility for others' health and safety.
This page includes information from the O*NET 24.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Source: You can learn about our data sources in the About Us section.
