Career Profile: Medical Equipment Repairers

Salary and Outlook

According to the US Department of Labor, there are 59,100 people employed as medical equipment repairers in the United States. The median annual salary is $49,910. Entry level employees earn approximately $31,280 per year and senior employees earn approximately $81,850 per year.

Estimates do not include other potential benefits such as health insurance, overtime, or retirement benefits that may be offered by employers.

Job Duties

• Repair shop equipment, metal furniture, or hospital equipment, including welding broken parts or replacing missing parts, or bring item into local shop for major repairs.
• Make computations relating to load requirements of wiring or equipment, using algebraic expressions and standard formulas.
• Fabricate, dress down, or substitute parts or major new items to modify equipment to meet unique operational or research needs, working from job orders, sketches, modification orders, samples, or discussions with operating officials.
• Perform preventive maintenance or service, such as cleaning, lubricating, or adjusting equipment.
• Test, evaluate, and classify excess or in-use medical equipment and determine serviceability, condition, and disposition, in accordance with regulations.
• Examine medical equipment or facility's structural environment and check for proper use of equipment to protect patients and staff from electrical or mechanical hazards and to ensure compliance with safety regulations.
• Disassemble malfunctioning equipment and remove, repair, or replace defective parts, such as motors, clutches, or transformers.
• Plan and carry out work assignments, using blueprints, schematic drawings, technical manuals, wiring diagrams, or liquid or air flow sheets, following prescribed regulations, directives, or other instructions as required.
• Research catalogs or repair part lists to locate sources for repair parts, requisitioning parts and recording their receipt.
• Solder loose connections, using soldering iron.
• Inspect and test malfunctioning medical or related equipment, following manufacturers' specifications and using test and analysis instruments.
• Test or calibrate components or equipment, following manufacturers' manuals and troubleshooting techniques, using hand tools, power tools, or measuring devices.
• Keep records of maintenance, repair, and required updates of equipment.
• Explain or demonstrate correct operation or preventive maintenance of medical equipment to personnel.
• Contribute expertise to develop medical maintenance standard operating procedures.
• Evaluate technical specifications to identify equipment or systems best suited for intended use and possible purchase, based on specifications, user needs, or technical requirements.
• Study technical manuals or attend training sessions provided by equipment manufacturers to maintain current knowledge.
• Compute power and space requirements for installing medical, dental, or related equipment and install units to manufacturers' specifications.
• Supervise or advise subordinate personnel.

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