Planning for Safety in your Manufacturing Workplace


Posted April 14, 2013

The key to a safe work environment is simple; keep danger away. To prevent injuries and accidents, your company needs to develop a plan, and then make sure everyone follows that plan. Taking a few simple steps now will save time and money and, most importantly, make your workplace safe for everyone.

Set the Standard - Reference the OSHA website for safety information and regulations. OSHA is a federal agency in charge of enforcing health and safety legislation and regulations. The tips and guidelines provided here will not only help your company be aware of the violations you may have missed, but also take steps to prevent situations and conditions that could become harmful to your employees.

Find the Risks - Now that you know the standard, make sure your workplace is up to code. Take a walk through your plant with an eye toward what could go wrong. Bring experienced members of your workforce with you and talk out potential problems. A hazard could be something as simple as poor lighting. Make a list of hazards and eliminate them before a problem occurs.

Clean = Safe - Out of sight, out of mind is not a good motto in a factory. A clean and well-organized workplace is crucial to maintain safety. Keep machines and other objects (merchandise, boxes, etc.) out of the center of aisles and make sure spills and messes are cleaned immediately. All equipment should be periodically inspected and instruction manuals should be present and easy to find.

Create Safety Checklists - A message can get lost over time. It’s good to keep a checklist or log for all machines and pieces of protective equipment in your plant. It’s easier for a worker to get into the habit of wearing goggles or a mask when they have to sign a safety log. It’s also important for management to make sure their employees are reading and signing these measures. Your employees will learn to wear a helmet from the story of a co-worker getting injured, but a warning from a supervisor is just as effective and, obviously, more ideal. You have the best interests of your workers in mind.

Adapt to Change - If a new piece of equipment is introduced into the workplace, you need to adjust your safety measures accordingly. Make sure all employees are properly trained on any new equipment, and that you’ve added checklists and inspection records to the site. If you’ve made a number of changes, it is a good idea to start over and take another walk through your plant and reassess the workplace as a whole.

Make it a Team Effort - Because the goal of any factory is to keep things running smoothly, it takes everyone to accomplish a safe work environment. Encourage suggestions from workers and listen to safety complaints. There is no such thing as a small problem when it comes to workplace safety.

If you are looking for qualified talent to help increase your company’s productivity and safety strategies, contact the staffing experts at Ambassador Personnel today. We have the resources and experience to help land you manufacturing professionals that will help improve your business.