Client Resource Center

3 Ways to Improve Machine Safety

By Jonathan Wilkens

In the manufacturing industry, machine safety is key to reducing the risk of accidents and protecting staff. A comprehensive safety strategy can extend far beyond these benefits. The following three tips for machine safety can help manufacturers reap the rewards that safety brings.

Consider Each Machine Individually

When installing a new machine, plant managers must carefully consider how it fits into the manufacturing facility as a whole. Plant managers should conduct risk assessments to verify that the environment is safe, while taking into account factors (such as machine emissions) that can affect the ventilation in the facility. With this information, plant managers can develop safe and ergonomic working practices. Each type of machine has different safety considerations. (For example, electrical equipment is likely covered by the EN 60204-1 standard, which specifies requirements for enclosures, isolators, actuators, and documentation.) Manufacturers must ensure not only that their machines have been designed based on the relevant standards but also that they operate in accordance with those standards. Some equipment may need to conform to directives for dangerous substances and explosive atmospheres. Compliance with these regulations will be crucial to safeguard production facilities and, more importantly, staff.

Train Personnel

Without a full understanding of how to operate machinery, personnel could be at risk of injury. Detailed training to teach staff the correct processes and procedures for machine operation is essential for managing safety. Such training should also cover the required personal protective equipment that must be worn during operation. Staff should follow a checklist to ensure that operations and maintenance are performed correctly, and to help reduce the risk of human error there should also be a designated individual (such as a safety manager) whom personnel can contact in case of confusion or query.

Connect

Adding sensors to a production line to monitor equipment performance is another way to improve workplace safety. By making use of Internet of things technology, plant managers can gather and analyze real-time information about their equipment and thereby reduce common accidents and identify issues with machinery that may also pose safety risks to personnel. Connected machines can measure equipment parameters to warn of any risk of overheating, which can lead to a breakdown. If a serious hazard is detected, personnel can be evacuated. However, if a problem arises that is simply a matter of a broken part, a connected system can warn the plant manager to order a replacement component, perform maintenance, and get the system back on its feet.

Workplace safety must be a top priority for all manufacturers. Not only it is critical for reducing the risk of accidents (both fatal and nonfatal), but it can also improve productivity. The careful selection and installation of new machines, thorough training for staff, and connecting various machines are just a few of the machine-specific safety processes that can help an organization improve its overall safety.

About the author:

Jonathan Wilkins is the head of marketing for EU Automation, a supplier of new, reconditioned, and obsolete industrial parts. He can be reached at www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanwilkins/.