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Manufacturing Safety Issues

Discussing and understanding the potential safety hazards of a manufacturing environment is paramount to keeping employees safe and preventing costly lost time accidents. Manufacturing plants in the United States may even be required by the government to broach and discuss certain safety topics and issues with their staff on a regular basis to ensure that everyone is meeting safety guidelines and following regularly enforced safety rules when on the job.

  1. Employees Following Safety Rules

    • Without much motivation, employees will sometimes become lax or completely refuse to participate in safety programs or follow safety rules. This kind of behavior can be due to lack of incentives for employee participation or management not enforcing reprimands for breaking safety rules. Refusal to follow safety rules can lead to injury and lost time accidents. To avoid this, employers may consider implementing an incentive plan for employees who abide by safety rules or enforcing stronger discipline for those who do not. Another option is to make sure managers maintain consistent supervision of employees to ensure that they are using proper safety protocols.

    Faulty Tools or Other Devices

    • Faulty tools, machinery and other devices can lead to injury in a manufacturing plant. Employees should be properly trained on the function and operation of each tool or machine that they are required to use. They should also be able to identify and use any safety switches or guards on the equipment. Tools and machinery should be inspected regularly to make sure that they are in good repair. Tools should be turned off, disconnected from their power supply and safely stored out of walkways and public areas when not in use.

    Heavy Equipment Operation

    • All users of heavy equipment or machinery should be properly trained or certified on the equipment before they begin working on it. A supervisor or manager should assist new employees the first few times that they use the machinery to make sure they know how to operate the particular model or brand that your company uses. Work areas for heavy machinery should be kept clear of any debris. Other workers should maintain a 4-foot or larger perimeter around equipment that is being used. Heavy equipment should only be used for its intended purpose. Do not try to retrofit or use the machinery for an unrelated task.

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