Maintenance and Diagnostics Engineer - Working conditions
Mataaro Tiaki/Tātari Pūkaha
Working Conditions
Maintenance and diagnostics engineers work in factories, machine shops, oil refineries and mining sites. They may also work at sawmills or on fishing vessels.
Maintenance and diagnostics engineers work in conditions that may be dirty, noisy and dangerous.
A machine shop is full of noisy machinery and equipment
Leanne van der Weert using a lathe to shape a metal part
Equipment
Equipment maintenance and diagnostics engineers may use includes:
- various types of metals
- hand tools, including spanners and crescents
- machine tools such as lathes and grinders
- precise measuring equipment
- safety equipment, including earmuffs, overalls, safety glasses, steel-capped boots and hard hats.
Hours
Maintenance and diagnostics engineers usually work regular hours, but they may be required to work overtime and be on call. In some factories and oil refineries, maintenance and diagnostic engineers are required to do shift work outside production hours.
Contact with people
Maintenance and diagnostics engineers work independently and as part of small teams. They interact with other tradespeople such as engineering machinists and toolmakers, electricians, and fabrication engineers. They may also follow the instructions of supervisors or supervise trainees.
Updated
September 2009
