Workplace Safety and Maintenance References: A Starter Hub
Official and non-profit references for occupational safety, maintenance and continuous improvement in manufacturing, from regulators, research institutes and standards bodies.
Good manufacturing practice rests on reliable guidance. These organisations publish free information on safety, health and operational improvement.
Regulators and research
- OSHA: Control of Hazardous Energy explains U.S. lockout/tagout requirements.
- The UK Health and Safety Executive publishes free guidance on machinery safety, maintenance, risk assessment and much more.
- NIOSH, the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, conducts research and publishes recommendations on workplace hazards.
Standards
- ISO 45001 is the international standard for occupational health and safety management systems.
Continuous improvement
- The Lean Enterprise Institute is a non-profit that publishes material on lean thinking and practice.
Guides on FlexyBlogs
- Preventive vs predictive maintenance
- 5S workplace organisation
- How to calculate OEE
- Lockout/tagout basics
- How to write an RFQ for industrial equipment
Where to start on a real site
If you are improving a small plant, begin with the basics that prevent the most harm and downtime: written isolation procedures for each machine, a simple preventive maintenance schedule, and a tidy, well-labelled workplace. Measure losses with OEE so you can see whether changes are working, and investigate the biggest stoppages properly rather than fixing symptoms.
Legal requirements vary by country and industry. Use these references to understand good practice and always confirm the rules that apply to your site.
Cover photo by Ümit Yıldırım on Unsplash.
