5 Tips to keep your Factory Floor Safe

There has never been a better time for Floor Managers to revise policies and procedures to dramatically reduce errors, failures and especially injuries.

Every seven seconds, an employee is injured while working. In addition, more than 100,000 factory workers are victims of a work-related injury every year. Even with the regulations and rules, companies in the manufacturing industry must have a corporate culture that embodies a safety attitude.

This means there is still a lot of work to be done. The production sector is not exactly an easy one. Safety will always be an issue. But there are some ways to reduce the chance of an incident.

Save yourself a lot of time and money, in this blog we give you five ways to create a safer factory floor.

Invest in training on how to properly use the machines

It is common for employees to suffer accidents as a result of improper use of equipment, devices and machines. In fact, it may be such a common cause of accidents that government agencies take steps to encourage companies to invest in training.

In many ways, such training can be beneficial for all parties. Employees who can work with the right machines in a smooth, correct and safe way will also save you a lot of time.

Machines and appliances can also malfunction, especially if the ones they use are not using it properly. They should also be given guides that will guide them if they forget anything from the training. In addition to such training, it’s therefore also important to have clear work instructions. With the right software you are already well on the way.

Safety culture should be in the company’s DNA

You cannot create a safe workplace and environment by only safe equipment and procedures. You need a safety culture where every employee is safe and has the authority to warn managers about safety concerns.

When employees lead the safety processes, from management to the field, everyone is involved in every part of the company’s safety efforts, so it’s up to all employees to report hazards and take corrective action. This kind of safety culture helps build ownership across the business.

Make sure employees know they are protected and will not be reprimanded for drawing attention to problems. Encourage everyone to speak up, because a strong safety culture can help promote low damage rates and improve turnover.

Checklists are mandatory

The aim is to identify everything that could lead to a hazard before you plan the safety protocols in the company. Use the following checklist to identify potential hazards:

• What service / product does the company provide?
• What machines will workers be used on and who will they have to operate?
• Are dangerous chemicals present in the workplace?
• Is there a risk of falling risks in the workplace?

Make a checklist that also includes hazards such as fire, electrical and ergonomic. Everything that the workers can use must be explored to create a process on how to use it safely and what to do in the event of an incident. Most categories have certified guidelines that are normally consistent across industries, so adapt your protocols to these procedures.

Make sure nothing is blocking emergency exits

Many people only really understand the value of emergency exits after something happened and they were needed. Either way, the company should have a policy that emergency exits should be open and unblocked. This is more often forgotten or ignored as thought. A lot of people are confident that there factory won’t catch fire and so the emergency exists are blocked.

This is to prevent people from getting through the exit in the event of a fire. Otherwise, later problems could arise with the safety of those working in the room, which could result in injury, death, and loss of property.

In a factory that performs production functions, it is essential that there are strong safety nets and precautions. This prevents problems that can arise from carelessness. Also map all emergency exits, both physically and in the software you use.

Communicate factory safety measures

All employees and supervisors located in the production area must be informed about the company’s safety measures. This reduces the risks associated with working in production functions and other areas.

This can take the form of training and seminars for employees. Security measures should also be routinely reviewed to ensure that they are still effective in meeting security needs. Communication is very important, especially in the workplace. Opt for smart software to be able to communicate smoothly.

So ensure two-way communication. When you talk about two-way communication, you give your employees the opportunity to shape safety in the workplace. Through daily and monthly security meetings, you are able to influence and prepare everyone for security issues. Discuss what went wrong, what was done and what needs to be remedied, and all ongoing safety projects. Ask your employees for input and give rewards to departments that had no injuries.

Do you also want a Safe Factory? Or do you need more information? Let us know.