View original at www.manufacturing.net

Jeson Pitt One of the top priorities of any plant manager in a manufacturing industry is protecting the employees from safety hazards since these facilities pose unique safety risks. There are numerous factors which constitute safety risks for employees, such as heavy machinery, electrical material which may cause electrical hazards, ill-maintained equipment, etc. Listed below are 6 common safety hazards which every EHS manager in the manufacturing sector should address: 1. Machine Guarding Correct machine guarding is essential to keep workers safe who operate heavy machinery every day on their job. Improperly installed machine guards pose a hazard to employees which may result in life-threatening accidents. 2. Electrical Electricians and engineers are the ones who are most exposed to electrical hazards such as incorrectly installed equipment, unlocked electrical panels, and exposed wires.. An example of electrical hazard would be this. During the winter months, snow may collect on worker’s boots and when it melts, it may result in small water puddles throughout the facility. If exposed wires are present in the facility, it could result in electric shock. Hence, training workshops should include focused electrical safety practices, standards, and requirements to help the manufacturing staff mitigate any electrical hazards. 3. Lockout / Tagout Several energy sources including electrical, mechanical or chemical equipment in a manufacturing workspace can prove hazardous to the workers. When the employees are servicing or carrying out maintenance operations on the heavy machinery, an unexpected startup or release of energy may lead to serious injury or death. Lockout/tagout procedures are types of safety precautions which help prevent this hazardous occurrence. 4. Falls Surprisingly, falls are one of the most commonly occurring safety hazards in the manufacturing sector. They are the leading cause of injury and death. Steps must be taken to implement comprehensive protection measures against […]