The manufacturing industry is often one of the most lucrative, but if you own a business in this sector, you can run into problems caused by a lack of adequate safety if you are not careful. That’s why we’ve put together some tips to help you protect your employees, and your company, by making your workplace as safe as possible.
Make training a priority
It should go without saying, but if you are going to expect your workforce to operate what can be quite dangerous manufacturing equipment, you need to invest a whole lot of time and money into ensuring that they are all as thoroughly trained as possible. Train them when they first start working for you, when they move to a new section, and whenever you invest in a new piece of manufacturing technology and you will stand a much better chance of keeping them safe and protecting your business at the same time.
Make emergency drills a regular thing
No matter how much theoretical safety training you do, you never quite know how people will react when something actually goes wrong, and although you can’t exactly replicate that with emergency drills, it will be more realistic which means your staff will have a better idea what to do if there is a fire or a flood or your machinery malfunctions. Try to schedule them every three months or so just so the procedures stay fresh in the minds of everyone in the workplace.
Use equipment with manual overrides as much as possible
When you are buying new machinery or equipment, or even components, be sure to choose products like this solenoid valve, that dome with manual override capabilities. NO matter how hard you try to prevent incidents, equipment will break down and things will go wrong occasionally. If you can manually override a piece of manufacturing equipment, it is much more likely that you will also be able to prevent a minor incident from turning into a major accident.
Take machinery maintenance seriously
If you want to keep everyone safe and prevent accidents from occurring, as well as protecting your business from excessive costs, then one thing you absolutely must do is take the maintenance of your manufacturing equipment seriously. By regularly cleaning and maintaining your machinery, you’re less likely to run the risk of fires and explosions for a start. Dust is a prime cause of both of these issues, which is why you should be using either steam or compressed air to blow dust out of any inaccessible areas around and within your equipment.
Label everything
Everything in your workplace, from the machinery to the fire exits should be clearly labeled or signposted so that everyone knows where they are. You should also hang signs telling employees about the various safety procedures that should be adhered to in any given area. The signs and labels will act as a reminder and ensure you are doing your duty to your staff.
Safety is of the utmost importance in manufacturing spaces so whatever you do, take it seriously.
