Maintenance Assistant

Reports To : Mechanical Maintenance Foreman

Purpose of the Role

The Maintenance Assistant is responsible for supporting mechanical maintenance activities within the plant to help minimise downtime, improve equipment reliability and extend the operating life of machinery and equipment.

The role provides hands-on support to artisans, assists with breakdown repairs and planned maintenance activities, and plays a key role in maintaining and executing lubrication requirements across the plant.

This position is suited to a practical, reliable and proactive individual with maintenance experience in a heavy engineering or continuous manufacturing environment. The successful candidate must be willing to work according to maintenance plans, follow instructions accurately, maintain high housekeeping and safety standards, and support World Class Manufacturing maintenance practices.

Key Responsibilities

• Mechanical Maintenance Support
  • Assist artisans with breakdown repairs and planned maintenance activities.
  • Support maintenance teams in reducing plant downtime and improving equipment availability.
  • Complete assigned work according to the weekly maintenance plan.
  • Follow instructions from the Mechanical Maintenance Foreman and engineering leadership team.
  • Execute reasonable maintenance-related tasks as required from time to time.
  • Support artisans to ensure mechanical maintenance work is carried out efficiently and to the required standard.
  • Report plant risks, equipment abnormalities and potential mechanical issues, including unusual equipment noise or other signs of possible failure.
  • Monitor compressed air plants and escalate any abnormalities or concerns.
  • Assist in ensuring that maximum plant and equipment availability is achieved.
• Lubrication Programme Support
  • Lubricate all machinery and equipment in the plant, including paper machines, gearboxes, motors, compressors, forklifts, generators and related equipment.
  • Maintain and support the lubrication programme / system.
  • Ensure lubrication activities are performed correctly and according to agreed standards.
  • Identify, through touch, hearing and observation, when equipment requires lubrication during operation.
  • Prevent over-greasing of equipment and avoid lubricant spillages.
  • Support lubrication best practices to reduce equipment wear, prevent breakdowns and improve equipment reliability.
  • Ensure lubrication activities are aligned with World Class Manufacturing maintenance practices.
• Quality of Maintenance Work
  • Support quality repair activities by assisting artisans properly and effectively.
  • Help prevent maintenance rework by ensuring mechanical maintenance assistance is provided correctly the first time.
  • Ensure lubrication tasks are completed correctly the first time and in line with agreed maintenance standards.
  • Adhere to World Class Manufacturing best practices during all mechanical assistance and lubrication activities.
  • Maintain disciplined, consistent and accurate execution of assigned maintenance tasks.
• Cost Control & Maintenance Efficiency
  • Support artisans in reducing Mean Time To Repair on equipment repairs.
  • Assist in avoiding unnecessary maintenance costs through efficient support, good workmanship and correct task execution.
  • Help prevent cost increases caused by poor lubrication practices, over-greasing or lubricant spillages.
  • Use materials, tools, lubricants and maintenance resources responsibly.
  • Support maintenance efficiency by being prepared, responsive and aligned to planned work requirements.
• Health, Safety & Environment
  • Participate in on-site safety programmes.
  • Attend regular safety talks, toolbox talks and inspections.
  • Ensure all maintenance work is carried out safely and efficiently.
  • Maintain high work and safety standards within the area of responsibility.
  • Apply 5S principles and practices to maintain high housekeeping standards.
  • Carry out general daily housekeeping tasks.
  • Keep work areas clean, organised and safe.
  • Report unsafe conditions, risks or hazards to the relevant maintenance or engineering leadership.
• Communication & Teamwork
  • Maintain open communication with artisans, maintenance lubricators, engineering stores coordinators, production team leaders and maintenance leadership.
  • Liaise effectively with maintenance assistants, artisans, production teams, engineering stores and planners where required.
  • Communicate equipment concerns, maintenance risks and task progress clearly and timeously.
  • Work cooperatively with the maintenance and production teams to support plant reliability and production continuity.

Experience & Qualifications

• Matric or equivalent.
• Minimum of 2 years maintenance experience as a Mechanical Maintenance Assistant.
• Experience must be within a heavy engineering and continuous manufacturing process environment.
• Practical experience assisting artisans with mechanical maintenance, breakdowns and planned maintenance activities.
• Experience with lubrication of plant machinery and equipment will be advantageous.
• Forklift licence will be advantageous.
• Willingness and ability to learn and develop new skills.

Knowledge, Skills & Technical Competencies

• Basic understanding of mechanical maintenance activities in a manufacturing or industrial environment.
• Practical understanding of lubrication requirements for plant machinery and equipment.
• Ability to identify potential equipment issues through observation, touch, hearing and general equipment awareness.
• Ability to follow weekly maintenance plans and complete assigned tasks.
• Ability to follow instructions accurately and work under the guidance of artisans, the Mechanical Maintenance Foreman and engineering leadership.
• Understanding of safe work practices in a maintenance and manufacturing environment.
• Awareness of 5S housekeeping principles and World Class Manufacturing practices.
• Good communication skills.
• Strong attention to detail when carrying out lubrication and maintenance assistance tasks.
• Ability to work safely and efficiently in a continuous manufacturing environment.

Personal Attributes

• Self-starter with a proactive and positive attitude.
• Energetic, motivated and willing to contribute.
• Responsible, reliable and professional.
• Willing to learn and develop further maintenance skills.
• Able to work well with artisans, maintenance personnel and production teams.
• Able to identify when equipment may require lubrication or attention during operation.
• Organised and disciplined in daily work.
• Demonstrates good housekeeping habits.
• Takes safety seriously and maintains high work standards.
• Prepared to work outside normal working hours during shutdowns when required.

Working Relationships

• Internal Stakeholders
  • Mechanical Maintenance Foreman
  • Artisans
  • Maintenance Assistants
  • Maintenance Lubricator
  • Engineering Stores Coordinator
  • Maintenance Planners
  • Production Team Leaders
  • Engineering Leadership Team
  • Production Teams

Other Requirements

• Must be based in, or willing to work in, the Spartan / Kempton Park area.
• Must be comfortable working in a heavy engineering and continuous manufacturing process environment.
• Must be willing to work outside normal working hours during shutdowns when required.
• Must be able to perform practical, hands-on maintenance support duties.
• Must be able to work safely around operating machinery and production equipment.
• Must be able to carry out housekeeping duties and maintain an organised work area.
• Must be willing to follow instructions and execute reasonable tasks assigned by maintenance and engineering leadership.

Benefits

• A competitive, market-related Total Cost to Company package aligned with the scope and level of the role will be offered.
• Opportunity to gain further maintenance experience in a high-volume FMCG manufacturing environment.
• Exposure to mechanical maintenance, lubrication systems, planned maintenance, breakdown support and World Class Manufacturing practices.