Six Common Safety Hazards in the Manufacturing Industries
Every plant manager should make the safety of their employees their first concern, but this is particularly true in the manufacturing industry. Because new technologies promote productivity, improve product quality, and safeguard worker safety, the manufacturing industry is positioned to see growth in the near future. It is growing fast, paving the way for ever-expanding real-time equipment maintenance and virtual design applications.
It has become a crucial differentiator for these types of enterprises to provide a working environment that has created and implemented an up-to-date risk and hazard management plan including proper WHMIS training. Because of the plant’s pervasive threats, the industrial setting has its own particular set of obstacles to face. A business’s bottom line stands to gain significantly if it provides a safe and healthy working environment for its staff members.
Because of the extensive nature of the dangers that may be found in factories, their knowledge is required to take any preventative measures. Before we go into further details, let’s figure out the basics first.
What Classifies as a Hazard?
A hazard is any source of prospective damage, injury, or ill health repercussions on something or someone. This definition is applicable to the context of workplace health and safety. The possibility for harm or adverse result may extend to persons as health concerns, organizations as property or equipment losses, and the environment itself.
Slips, trips, and falls are just examples of the usual hazards that might occur in the workplace. But, as you will see, it is the duty of each organization to analyze its risks and engage in systematic hazard studies. Thus, this prompts the question: What is the difference between safety hazards and risks? What exactly do we mean by risks?
Anything that risks causing injury to someone or something else is a hazard. We can define “risk” as “the possibility or probability that a person might be hurt or have an undesirable health result if exposed to a hazard.” It is imperative that you inform me of the potential risks. The term “risk” refers to the “probability or possibility of contracting a disease or being injured,” while the term “hazard” refers to anything that has the potential to cause damage.
How Can We Categorize the Many Kinds of Possible Risks?
Suppose you break down the seven different kinds of workplace dangers present in every workplace. Regardless of the type of company, you can lower your stress level and improve your organization.
Top 6 Types of Possible Hazards in Manufacturing Industries
Whatever challenges your group is up against can be neatly categorized under one of the following headings, and we’ll show you how to recognize them and get rid of them.
- Accidents as A Result of Slipping, Tripping, Or Falling
Accidents involving slipping, stumbling, and falling may occur anywhere and can occur all at once or one after the other. The presence of a material that makes the floor or the shoes slippery, as well as a shift in the flooring from one area to another, are both prevalent factors that contribute to slips and falls.
The most typical factors that lead to falls include things like wires that aren’t adequately secured, furniture that isn’t placed on level ground, and other obstacles that are in the way of the person who is walking. When an employee stumbles or slips and loses their balance, the likelihood of falling from the same level as before increases.
Slips, trips, and falls are hazards that may occur in every job, from manufacturing plants to office buildings (on the same level). Employers may lessen the likelihood of slips, trips, and falls by cleaning pathways of debris, putting mats in high-traffic, weather-prone spots (such as entrances and exits), and encouraging exemplary housekeeping and tidiness among their workforce.
- Material Manipulation Through the Use of the Hands
Most individuals have a mental picture of employees moving many things by hand in industrial settings such as warehouses or docks. This is the mental image that most people have. Even if it’s true that specific locations have a more significant risk of material handling dangers than others, manual material handling is a component of every business and workplace.
Workers at smaller businesses often have to deal with a greater variety of obstacles on a regular basis, including but not limited to: parts, various boxes, moderately heavy tools, and storage items. Even office personnel who are located in close proximity to a manufacturing site are required to handle materials on a regular basis. Material handling includes various tasks, including moving heavy equipment such as desks and filing cabinets, transporting large binders and blueprints, and loading photocopiers with reams of blank paper. No matter the type of workplace or duties, safety training is always imperative.
The management of material handling hazards can be accomplished through the instruction of safe material handling postures, trolleys, and the encouragement of tandem lifts when things are too large or bulky for one person to handle and when mechanical methods are not available.
- Acts of Harassment and Violence Against Others
There is a significant risk of being subjected to physical violence and verbal or sexual harassment by clients, visitors, and other employees. Supervisors may take advantage of employees who complain to them or penalize them for doing so, leading to increased incidents that need to be reported. These supervisors may use violence and harassment as methods. Employees are put at risk when they are subjected to hostile or harassing behavior in the workplace, which is also against the law.
The use of threats or actual physical violence against another worker is considered to be both violent and harassing behavior in the workplace. Assault, murder and other forms of physical violence are all included in this category, as are threats of violence, intimidation, taunts, belittling, workplace sabotage, and the blockage of advancement opportunities. Harassment may be defined as the practice of repeatedly subjecting another person to unwelcome sexual advances or behaviors that are obnoxious.
The most effective strategy for ensuring the well-being of workers is to institute a strict zero-tolerance policy for acts of violence and harassment and then to educate workers at all levels on how to identify inappropriate behavior and react to it effectively. In addition, it is of the utmost importance to have a policy in place to protect workers from retribution in the event that they report workplace violence or harassment.
- Substances That Are Involved in the Manufacturing of Chemicals
Chemical products are used in most workplaces in some shape or form, whether for the production of goods in an industrial setting or the cleaning and maintenance of office spaces. The overwhelming majority of chemicals used in industrial processes are hazardous in some way.
In industrial settings, highly corrosive or hazardous chemicals are often used throughout product manufacture or treatment, while in offices, the same chemicals are used for cleaning purposes. The Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for the product, any necessary personal protective equipment (PPE), and training on the effective use of the MSDS’, safe use of the chemical product, and the proper and safe use of the PPE required whenever chemicals are present or used are all required to be provided to employees by employers as part of their obligations under the Occupational Safety and Health Act.
- Equipment and Tools
The presence of hand and power tools in every working environment, whether a factory, a construction site or a place of business, is a significant risk. Every worker must get instructions on how to use power tools safely, and regular meetings should be held to discuss this topic.
Always ensure you have the appropriate gloves, and never remove the safeguards on your equipment. For the sake of efficiency and comfort, workers shouldn’t have to put themselves in danger of losing limbs.
- Machines and Heavy Machinery
Despite the positive effects of robots and technological advancements on workplace efficiency and workflow, these factors have also introduced new employee hazards. It is our responsibility to ensure that individuals are protected from hazards such as moving parts, the possibility of squeezing and crushing fingers, hands, and other appendages, as well as noise and components that are either sharp or hot.
Employees should be provided with safety training on any equipment they will be utilizing and instruction on preventing harm while working close to such apparatus. Workers need to be provided with training on correctly utilizing the personal protection equipment (PPE) required to operate the machinery in the region. For example, workers responsible for operating overhead cranes at their workstations must know the proper way to wear safety headgear. Other work areas may require custom safety vests to ensure you are fully protected.
It’s possible that factory owners who aren’t concerned with their employees’ safety are risking their firm and employees. If manufacturing companies make the prevention of accidents a significant priority, give clear safety instructions, choose managers who focus on safety, and consistently reinforce the regulations. The likelihood of all sorts of accidents will be lowered or eliminated.
Final Word
There is always an element of risk involved with any profession, but it may be challenging to isolate the most significant dangers. Accidents, injuries, property damage, and downtime are all things that may be prevented if, first, the hazards that exist in the workplace are identified. Then second, the required procedures are taken to eliminate or lessen the impact of those threats. Businesses may incur significant costs due to on-the-job injuries, illnesses, and deaths.
A variety of positive outcomes may result from ensuring that a workplace is safe and healthy. A company that prioritizes the health and safety of its employees has several advantages for those employees. These advantages include lower medical costs, reduced absenteeism and turnover, increased productivity, and improved employee morale. To put it another way, a safe working environment is excellent for a company’s earnings. In addition, it is a moral obligation to ensure that workers are protected from harm. Compared to treating injuries after they have occurred, injury prevention costs are much lower.
If the working environment is safe and healthy, it will be much simpler to locate and retain skilled employees. It functions more efficiently than ever before, bringing in a substantial amount of revenue and enhancing the overall quality of life in the surrounding areas. When nobody at work has to worry about their health, safety, respect for one another, or concern for one another, everyone comes out ahead.
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