Things you should do daily to ensure safety at your manufacturing plant

In general, manufacturing plants are potentially highly dangerous places to work. This sort of high risk environment demands a safety plan that is aggressive. Preventing harm from coming to your employees is a priority and safety should not be taken lightly. This is why there are some things that you should be doing daily to ensure safety at your manufacturing plant. Keep in mind that all manufacturing plants are different and therefore possess unique safety concerns. Below are some general safety precautions that you should be taking on a daily basis, but this list is by no means all inclusive. You should take the time to research threats to safety that are specific to your operation and come up with a safety plan that addresses the threats of your specific manufacturing plant.

Machine guards

Industrial machines are not things that should be messed with. An industrial machine is designed to manipulate and mold the hardest of materials and you can imagine what kind of damage misuse of this equipment can mean for a human body. Machine guards should be present at all times and daily assessment of these guards should be taken to ensure that safety measures are all in working order. The most common types of machine guards include lexan, light curtains, mats, and palm buttons. Each of these guards serves a different purpose so it is important to find the guards that are appropriate for the machinery that you use in your plant. Quick tests on these guards should be performed on a daily basis and any malfunctioning guards should be repaired immediately.

Personal safety equipment

Personal safety equipment is perhaps the easiest safety precaution that can be taken, yet many still do not observe all of the rules regarding the safety equipment that they should be wearing at all times. Steel toe boots, goggles, gloves, masks, etc. are required for a reason. Employees should be checked at different points in the day to make sure that this safety equipment is being worn at all times. All it takes is a lazy attitude, carelessness or forgetfulness to bring serious harm upon yourself. Posted signs should also give employees constant reminders that their personal safety equipment is not optional.

OSHA

OSHA stands for the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OSHA regulates the safety standards for the manufacturing industry and all other occupations. When in doubt about the safety precautions that should be in place for your manufacturing plant, OSHA is an excellent source for information regarding the daily things that you should be doing to ensure safety at your plant. OSHA generally will also conduct audits of the safety of your manufacturing plant and at that time it would be to your benefit to make appropriate changes to ensure employee safety on a daily basis.

Industry specific precautions

Not all manufacturing plants are the same and as a result there are different daily precautions for each individual operation. Below is a short list of more daily precautions that you can take to avoid some of the most common occupational injuries:

 Back injury prevention - proper lifting techniques and equipment such as a hernia belt.
 Electrical hazards - conductivity and water exposure dangers.
 Fire prevention - clearly posted escape plans and available extinguishers.
 Hand and power tool safety - having proper finger guards in place.
 Hearing conservation - ear plugs or headsets as well as regular auditory testing.
 Industrial ergonomics - don't forget about the potential hazards in the office areas of your manufacturing plant.
 Welding, cutting and brazing - masks and protective, fire resistant, clothing should be well maintained and required.

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