Before you can implement the best maintenance management program with the right policies and strategies, you need the right people. So, what are the different types of maintenance workers that make up a typical maintenance team? Find out below.
The 3 Different Types of Maintenance Workers
Generally, there are three types of maintenance workers that make up a maintenance team: maintenance technicians, maintenance engineers, and maintenance planners. Regardless of the industry, from hotels and hospitality to manufacturing, you’ll see people with these job titles. The main differences between these three types of maintenance workers are their titles and their day-to-day tasks. Keep reading to learn more about these three different types of maintenance workers.
1. Maintenance Technician
One of the most common types of maintenance worker you’ll find at almost every manufacturing plant is a maintenance technician. A maintenance technician is a maintenance worker that performs the most hands-on work. In other words, they are responsible for the repair and upkeep of the facility they work in, including most of its equipment and machinery. For instance, they perform preventive maintenance tasks (e.g. cleaning and lubrication), emergency repairs (e.g. parts replacements), and inspections. In essence, their responsibilities include general maintenance tasks that do not require specialized training. So, they do not perform major repairs and rebuilds. Instead, this work is either contracted out or assigned to a maintenance engineer.
2. Maintenance Engineer
Unlike a maintenance technician, a maintenance engineer is a maintenance worker that is more certified. Essentially, they can install, troubleshoot, and repair specific types of equipment. They also use industrial technology to diagnose equipment failures, help create preventive maintenance schedules, and receive special training to restore equipment to operational status. Therefore, this combination of hands-on maintenance and maintenance strategy requires them to work closely with maintenance technicians and planners. In sum, credible engineers have certifications and/or abilities to perform complex repairs and maintain specific equipment.
3. Maintenance Planner
A maintenance planner might seem like one of the least effective types of maintenance worker. But without them, it would be hard for maintenance technicians and engineers to do their work. This is because a maintenance planner is a maintenance worker that ensures maintenance technicians and engineers have everything they need to perform scheduled work as efficiently as possible. For instance, they work with parts managers, maintenance managers, and other teammates to gather the right tools, parts, and documentation needed for a job. Moreover, they also coordinate with managers from other departments like production to plan for site-wide shutdowns in order for maintenance technicians and engineers to perform big repairs. Depending on how big a manufacturing plant is, there might be a separate maintenance scheduler and maintenance planner, or there might be a single maintenance worker that plans and schedules functions.
