Mill-Machine

Successful manufacturers search continuously to find sustainable solutions to increase throughput and productivity and minimize production costs. However, at the same time, companies have to enhance their safety standards in order to eliminate the element of health risk. Risk assessment in any manufacturing environment is of paramount significance. A safe working environment increases the productivity of employees.

Risk Assessment

Assessing workplace risks gives business leaders a picture of the existing occupational safety and how they can improve it. Therefore, safety and risk assessment should be carried out to ensure safe installations and operations. Understanding factors that can set a business apart in future is critically significant to risk managers. A full potential of innovative manufacturing solutions can only be materialized when effective risk assessment practices are adopted. Risk assessment process deals with the following questions:

  • What are the project scenarios that might cause damage to workers’ health and environment?
  • Considering the industrial hazards, what number of employees could possibly be affected?
  • What are the potential risks of routine operations or what are the potential accident that can occur during the lifetime of a project?
  • Is there any available data that can help manufacturers judge the likelihood of industrial incidents?
steel-mill

Automation technology and safety

Industrial technology has made incredible contributions towards building safe facilities over the past few years. Workplace safety is one of the prime features of modern industrial automation technology. However, the safety factor cannot be undermined even in a highly advanced industrial environment. Following are some of the hazards associated with robotic work cells:

  • An error in hardware or software system can lead to a dangerous working environment especially when humans have to operate robots.
  • Installation errors can also lead to incidents. Therefore, it is critical to install the robotic cells appropriately.
  • Mechanical failures can lead to a potentially hazardous situation for operators.
  • Lack of knowledge and skills increases the chances of human errors which can ultimately lead to incidents.

The function of safety management is to ensure a safe workplace for employees while the role of engineering is to enhance manufacturing processes. However, both disciplines are interconnected. Traditional machine guarding techniques are simple in design and application, but it is advisable not to rely on obsolete safety methods.

Businesses leaders should understand the importance of risk assessment and preventive measures in order to build a hazard-free working environment for employees. Some automation companies do provide safety and risk assessment services. In Canada, you can consult BP Automation to get a thorough understanding of how you can enhance your machine safety and improve overall productivity by introducing innovative automation solutions to your existing manufacturing processes.