Safe maintenance of hydraulic systems (DGUV Information 209-071)
Abschnitt 1.2 – 1.2 Qualification of maintenance technicians
Maintenance technicians have to be familiar with the design of hydraulic components and systems through their professional training, occupational experience, and activity. They should have finished their vocational training, e. g. as
industrial mechanic,
mechatronics technician,
systems mechanic,
automobile mechanic,
agricultural machine mechanic or
have passed advanced training as hydraulics technician.
Furthermore, the maintenance technician has to be instructed regarding the possible hazards and the resulting protective measures. Fundamental obligations of the employees result from the DGUV Vorschrift 1 "Grundsätze der Prävention" (Principles of Prevention), see Annex 1 letter F.
Fig. 1
Maintenance technician during maintenance work
For planning and implementing maintenance works, it is required to understand at least
the operating instructions (including notes on maintenance),
the functional and wiring diagrams on hydraulics and, where appropriate, on electronics,
the operating modes,
the machine sequences, and
the connections to other technologies (mechanic, electric, electronic).
The application of the methods of systematic troubleshooting has to be known.
If the knowledge mentioned above is insufficient, system-specific information have to be requested from the machine manufacturer.
The work on electric parts of machines and systems is associated with special hazards. Thus, this work must only be conducted by persons who are technically trained and instructed in electrotechnology, e. g. electricians.