Maintenance Workers, Machinery

Wages
In 2021, the average annual wage in Alabama was $48,660 with most people making between $36,750 and $61,450.
Wages by Industry
  • Machinery, Equipment, and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers $40,720.00
  • Support Activities for Air Transportation $32,670.00
  • Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing $43,160.00
  • Plastics Product Manufacturing $39,280.00
  • Animal Slaughtering and Processing $32,130.00
  • Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except Automotive and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance $36,520.00
Education Required
These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Common Majors
  • Industrial Mechanics and Maintenance Technology
About the job

Lubricate machinery, change parts, or perform other routine machinery maintenance.

What you'll do
    • Clean machines and machine parts, using cleaning solvents, cloths, air guns, hoses, vacuums, or other equipment.
    • Collaborate with other workers to repair or move machines, machine parts, or equipment.
    • Collect and discard worn machine parts and other refuse to maintain machinery and work areas.
    • Inventory and requisition machine parts, equipment, and other supplies so that stock can be maintained and replenished.
    • Measure, mix, prepare, and test chemical solutions used to clean or repair machinery and equipment.
    • Remove hardened material from machines or machine parts, using abrasives, power and hand tools, jackhammers, sledgehammers, or other equipment.
    • Replace or repair metal, wood, leather, glass, or other lining in machines, or in equipment compartments or containers.
    • Replace, empty, or replenish machine and equipment containers such as gas tanks or boxes.
    • Set up and operate machines, and adjust controls to regulate operations.
    • Transport machine parts, tools, equipment, and other material between work areas and storage, using cranes, hoists, or dollies.
Things you need to know
    • Mechanical – Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
    • Mathematics – Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
    • Design – Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
    • Engineering and Technology – Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
    • English Language – Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Abilities you'll need to have
    • Equipment Maintenance – Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
    • Operation Monitoring – Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
    • Troubleshooting – Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
    • Repairing – Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
    • Operation and Control – Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
    • Quality Control Analysis – Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
    • Critical Thinking – Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.