Manufacturing in the Age of COVID-19 – Safety

Safety has always had a significant impact on the manufacturing sector, and both manufacturing workers and employers benefit from it. Safe practices cause fewer disruptions and instances of unscheduled downtime. It also makes workers feel more comfortable and valued within the workplace. Because of these factors, a well-defined safety program in a manufacturing plant can result in measurable efficiency gains. In the manufacturing industry, 83% of senior managers and operations personnel have observed increased productivity over time after implementing a safety program. They’ve also seen a corresponding drop in the cost of injuries and insurance claims.

Lost working hours, disruptions to productivity and workers’ compensation claims all result in financial losses for factories. According to the National Safety Council, the average medically-consulted injury cost companies $41,000 in 2018. The cost per death was $1,190,000. These figures include wage and productivity losses, medical bills and administrative expenses. In cases where workplace accidents also lead to equipment damage, the cost of poor safety practices can rise even further.

An emphasis on workplace safety and a safety program that rewards employees for reporting safety concerns can also reduce workplace stressors. Stress and concerns about health and safety can dampen productivity and increase the chances of injuries. A company that prioritizes health and well-being might see a boost in recruitment and retention rates, which can help a company succeed in the long term.

How COVID-19 Is Affecting Manufacturing Safety

How New Safety and Prevention Procedures Can Help

Now more than ever, it’s crucial for manufacturing plants to stay open. For industries providing essential products, such as food and those who have converted their operations to produce masks, disinfectants or ventilators, staying open has a direct impact on our country’s ability to combat the virus.

Strict safety standards are more than a legal obligation — they are crucial to increasing efficiency and keeping your plant operational during the COVID-19 crisis. The more you can prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus at your factories, the less safety and efficiency strains you’ll place on production. You’ll also reduce the likelihood that your business will have to temporarily shut down due to an outbreak at your facility.

Implementing new safety procedures can help limit the risk of infection in workers. Be sure to follow all Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines discussing COVID-19 safety and all other safety guidelines governing manufacturing. The CDC also has guidance for businesses and supplemental recommendations for the manufacturing industries.

Anything you can do to increase workers’ safety in other areas, such as using new equipment with state-of-the-art safety features, can also help limit the strain on your business due to COVID-19 absenteeism and social distancing measures. By placing more of the burden on equipment, you can ease safety hazards stemming from employee exhaustion. However, overworking machines, such as by using less than the recommended amount of cool-down time or reducing regularly-scheduled maintenance, can also put workers at risk.

The best thing to do is to invest in equipment designed to increase worker efficiency and operate faster with less downtime. Always use equipment following the recommended settings and never allow it to work faster or harder.

How to Help Your Business Recover From COVID-19

Safety in all regards is critical to helping your company grow. While many manufacturers pivot their efforts toward navigating new economic and regulatory conditions, a business can turn safety into a competitive advantage. Improved protection can reduce costs by lowering workers’ compensation claims. The new health conditions can accelerate your company’s investment in technologies and safety practices that will improve facility productivity and safety, even after the pandemic ends. When safety is a top priority, it can have a lasting impact on your company’s bottom line.

Health and Safety Best Practices

These days, the primary safety concern manufacturing facilities have is keeping the workplace healthy. Preventing worker infections is the best way to ensure your plant stays operational and doesn’t have to face a temporary closure.

When implementing new safety standards, remember the hierarchy of controls, which dictates the best way for manufacturers to limit the risk of infection. The best approach is first to remove a hazard or process that leads to disease. Then, install engineering controls before implementing appropriate sanitation practices.

Here’s how safety measures are changing to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in manufacturing:

• Engineering controls: Changing plant engineering to limit the spread of disease should be one of the first steps taken. Reconfigure workstations and furniture so people can remain six feet apart. Set up work stations in an assembly line, so workers are not facing each other, and use floor markings to help workers social distance. If possible, use physical barriers to separate workers. Remove personal fans and avoid fans blowing air from one person to another. Consider consulting a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) engineer to ensure proper ventilation. Place hand-washing stations and touch-free hand sanitizers throughout the facility, and provide more clock-in stations to avoid crowding.
• Administrative controls: Limit access to the facility to only critical infrastructure workers, and facilitate remote work wherever possible. Cut nonessential meetings, and break up necessary safety meetings into smaller groups or hold them virtually. Stagger arrival, departure and break times to avoid congregation of workers in parking lots, locker rooms and break areas. Regularly disinfect company-provided transportation. Consider cohorting workers, so that each employee is working with the same group of people during every shift, to reduce spread between cohorts. Evaluate and restructure sick leave policies to avoid penalizing workers for staying home when ill or after testing positive.
• Face masks and personal protective equipment (PPE): Cloth face masks are recommended in addition to social distancing measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19. However, they are not a substitute for PPE, such as N95 respirators, where recommended in manufacturing settings. Make sure you can provide replacement masks as they become wet or soiled throughout the workday. Consider adding face shields to helmets and ensure face shields are decontaminated after each shift. Also, consider allowing workers to wear surgical masks or N95 respirators even if not typically required. Remember, safety hazards can occur when mask ties dangle or when PPE is loose-fitting.
• Training: You should supplement regular safety training with COVID-19 training and information. Educate and train workers to recognize the symptoms of the virus, and discuss the prevention measures in place at your facility. Include information on hand washing practices, cough and sneeze etiquette and how to put on and remove PPE safely. Place posters around the facility educating employees about hand washing and social distancing. Inform employees they should stay home when they are sick or have tested positive for COVID-19.
• Cleaning and disinfecting: All tools and equipment should be regularly cleaned and disinfected as often as workers change workstations or use a new set of tools. Workers should also try to limit sharing tools as much as possible. All common spaces and frequently-touched surfaces should be cleaned at least once per shift. The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) List N disinfectants are effective against SARS-CoV-2. Be sure that workers in charge of cleaning and disinfection have access to PPE, such as gloves and masks, while working with chemical disinfectants or any hazardous materials. All workers should have access to disinfectant and paper towels to clean their workstations throughout the shift.
• Screening and monitoring: Keeping workers with exposure to or symptoms of COVID-19 away from the workplace can limit the chances of widespread infection within the facility. So, a daily screening process can be useful. Before workers enter the facility, perform a verbal interview to check for symptoms. Ask if they have experienced any shortness of breath, coughing, fever, difficulty breathing, muscle pain, chills, loss of smell or taste, headache or sore throat in the past 24 hours. Screeners should also check temperatures using the appropriate technique while wearing PPE. Anyone who has a fever of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or above or self reports COVID-19 symptoms should not enter the factory. Separate sick workers from the rest of the staff and send them home.

Post-COVID-19 Manufacturing Safety Innovations

As many other industries have rapidly transitioned to remote work to limit the spread, manufacturing doesn’t have the same capability. Still, many businesses continue to innovate solutions that allow the industry to stay ahead of the curve and keep teams healthy. The current landscape will expedite the adoption of new technologies and innovative ideas that can help manufacturing companies succeed in the long term.

• Remote and flexible work: Many plants can afford to keep at least some of their workforce out of the workplace. Training management to work remotely can help you protect those with business-critical expertise. Closed-circuit television (CCTV) monitoring can allow team members to monitor social distancing and safety procedures from a safe location. Flexible start and end times allow workers to stagger their shifts while providing the added benefit of a more forgiving work schedule.
• Automation: To limit the spread of the novel coronavirus in manufacturing, we often have to reduce the number of people on the floor. These limitations are causing many plants to operate at a reduced capacity. One solution to keep up with these restrictions is to automate more tasks within the manufacturing process.
• Data infrastructure: Social distancing and remote work will increase the need for a robust real-time data collection system. Improving the Industrial Internet of Things (IoT) can help manufacturing weather the COVID-19 storm and provide key productivity boosts that will outlast the current situation. Sensing, data visualization and AI-powered insights can offer a control-tower view of operations to help managers stay productive while staying safe. Data can have an impact on safety by tracking incidents and identifying patterns to help reduce hazards. While the current pandemic will encourage factories to adopt the technology, it may soon become standard across the industry.
• Productivity software: Remote diagnostic, collaboration and management tools can connect a virtual team to the physical team with real-time AI data to support in-person operations. Smart manufacturing software can allow managers to track output and other metrics while away from the office and redirect workers to aid productivity. It will also enable experts to diagnose issues with machinery and send step-by-step instructions for repairs via videos and documents. As technology improves, expertise and management can be provided remotely, increasing the productivity of plant workers.
• Social distancing technology: Many industries have come up with creative solutions to help enforce social distancing and safety throughout the workplace. Artificial-intelligence-enabled safety technology can be adapted to monitor social distancing. Computer-vision technology meant to identify safety hazards on the manufacturing floor can incorporate social-distancing features for added protection. The software can detect whether individuals are maintaining distance and wearing PPE. Since this technology recognizes other hazards besides coronavirus-related safety, incorporating it can be a competitive advantage in the current times and beyond.

Equipment Safety Best Practices

To combat increased demand with a limited workforce, you need safe, fast and reliable equipment. With so many factors outside of your facility’s control, it’s essential to double-down on safety factors within your command. More predictability in the available workforce and decreased costs associated with injuries can play a crucial role in helping your plant succeed. Here are a few examples of equipment safety best practices:

• Keep the workplace clean: Falls make up a high proportion of workplace accidents. In 2018, the manufacturing industry saw a total of 24,150 nonfatal injuries resulting in lost workdays due to falls, slips and trips — more than 20% of all nonfatal workplace injuries. An easy way to prevent falls, especially while working near equipment, is to keep floors clean and dry. Keep all tools or wires that can present tripping hazards clear of walkways and off the floor where possible.
• Install safety guards: A particular danger in manufacturing is the potential for fingers or other body parts to get caught in or compressed in equipment. Contact with objects or machines accounted for 44,120 — over 37% — of all nonfatal injuries in 2018. Safety guards are an effective way to prevent many of these injuries. Top-of-the-line equipment comes with lots of guards to reduce accidents related to fingers or clothing getting caught in machine parts. Physical stationary barriers can also prevent workers from getting too close to the equipment.
• Train employees on equipment: The manufacturing process can involve many dangerous tasks, including cutting, welding, assembling raw materials and lifting heavy equipment. Misuse of tools and lack of expertise can lead to serious injuries, so employees must learn equipment safety. In the age of COVID-19, it may be helpful to make training virtual. Use videos, diagrams and written instructions to demonstrate proper form and procedure. Be sure to include tips for how to prevent workplace accidents.
• Prioritize preventive maintenance: Malfunctioning equipment is more likely to cause injuries. Frequent equipment checks, as well as preventive maintenance procedures, can stop many accidents. As an added benefit, you’ll reduce unscheduled downtime and catch issues early, rather than reacting to failures as they occur. Reducing malfunctions can be particularly helpful when trying to increase efficiency while compensating for reduced staff.
• Implement a robust safety program: A comprehensive safety plan can further a business in an ongoing strategy to improve safety. It may involve setting safety goals, such as reducing the number of accidents per month. You should also develop a risk assessment plan to identify hazards associated with each job in the facility, taking steps to remove the hazards or add safety measures to protect workers. It’s important to repeat these assessments with the introduction of new equipment. The safety program should encourage workers to call out safety concerns and make suggestions for improvement. The unique perspective of your employees can be invaluable in reducing risks.

The Benefits of Safe Equipment

While best practices for equipment, such as regular safety training, will always be necessary, safe, compliant safety equipment is crucial to workplace productivity. It prevents injuries, boosts morale and enhances productivity in a variety of ways. Investing in safe equipment shows that your workers’ safety is a priority, which can be essential in a time when fear of infection is high. Some of the most significant benefits of safe equipment are:

• Fewer accidents and injuries: When your labor force is strained, the best equipment can contribute to productivity by preventing accidents and the lost time that accompanies it. Fewer injuries can have ramifications for the whole company, improving workers’ morale and saving money on workers’ compensation claims.
• Comfortable workers: Safe equipment can also provide ergonomic support for workers. Some injuries that can result in workers’ compensation claims include carpal tunnel, strain or soreness. These are often caused by heavy lifting or repetitive motions. Equipment with ergonomic design can prevent injuries due to soreness or repetitive motion. By eliminating manual lifting, you can reduce long-term damage and keep workers comfortable. When workers are pain-free, they are happier and more productive.
• Reduced stress on employees: When safety features are present and visible, it can put workers at ease. When the number of accidents in the workplace is reduced, employees worry less about safety. Also, high-powered equipment puts less physical strain on workers, reducing their workload. Reducing stress and physical exertion can prevent injuries by allowing workers to focus without worry or pain.

Equipment and Features to Enhance Workplace Safety

Since many facilities are depending more on automation and efficient equipment to stay safe with a limited workforce, safe equipment is more paramount than ever. What features should you look for? Here are some safety solutions to consider:

• High-speed functionality: Fast equipment puts the responsibility on machines rather than humans. With fewer workers on the job, high-speed equipment can help you reach productivity goals without adding extra strain on the smaller labor pool. Equipment like a high-speed pallet retriever can save your facility up to 30% of cycle time.
• Advanced safety features: Safety features are always updating as engineers innovate new equipment. Guard rails, non-slip safety mats, safety scanners and emergency stops can all prevent serious injuries while workers are close to heavy machinery. Safety circuits, UL-certified electrical panels, counterbalance valves, PO check valves and other locking devices can all prevent electrical injuries. The latest models of equipment will have the newest safety mechanisms and up-to-date certifications for the most protection.
• Ergonomic design: An ergonomic design can eliminate the need for workers to bend, twist, reach, lift and carry heavy loads. It can also reduce the need to hold or make direct contact with hard or sharp edges. Manual material handling can lead to fatigue, discomfort or injuries to the shoulders, back, hands or wrists. Introducing industrial lifting equipment can improve ergonomics associated with this manual labor.
• Custom solutions: If you have highly-particular safety needs, custom-designed equipment can meet and go beyond standards to provide solutions specific to your manufacturing facility. Safety and reliability are a top concern for you and many of Cherry’s custom solutions customers. Our custom solutions can meet any safety specifications and provide safer, more reliable designs that keep workers from injury.

Safety Solutions for Your Company

The coronavirus pandemic has influenced the way we work — manufacturing included. As factories close in areas with high infection rates, and others ramp up production to meet demand, your equipment may need to be redistributed. You may also need new tools and features to keep up with productivity with a reduced labor force. All these needs can require upgrades to keep your employees safe.

Every factory and workplace responds differently, and so many facilities need custom safety solutions. Cherry’s Industrial Equipment has been proud to help our industrial partners by finding creative solutions for health and safety needs in today’s climate. Consider the safety solutions we have provided for our customers in the wake of COVID-19.

1. Beverage Company

Beverage processing and bottling companies are essential operations, and the beverage industry, in particular, has many factors impacting demand and workload. While 35% of consumers say they have recently increased the number of soft drinks they consume, closed restaurants and bars across the country have reduced demand for beverages from the service industry. Some beverage industry sectors, particularly alcoholic beverage manufacturers, have transformed their operations to produce hand sanitizer and alcohol-based disinfectants. 

This method included several potential safety hazards. The nine-foot stacks could be de-palletized by hand, which would require equipment that would take workers off the ground. This procedure could have created a fall risk, as well as non-ergonomic reaching and straining. The forklift solution got around these issues by creating another. Even lightweight cases of empty boxes could risk injury as they fell off the pallets. Also, manual lifting onto the conveyor could risk straining from repetitive motion.

The process was also time-consuming because each box needed to be lifted by hand. With social distancing measures in place, this procedure could take even longer since fewer people were able to work in tandem to lift boxes.

The Solution

With increased demand and a smaller workforce, this customer needed to focus on speed and safety. Cherry’s created a custom solution to load the boxes onto the conveyor without the need for manual lifting. First, a 90-degree tipper safely tips the pallet of boxes from an upright to horizontal position without causing them to tumble off the pallet. A gripper keeps the pallet in place while a system of clamps holds and dispenses the boxes onto the conveyor in a single layer.

Before, a small team needed to unload each pallet. Now, the task requires just one employee to operate the tipper. The plant can achieve more effective social distancing and increase the speed and efficiency of performing this task.

2. Protein/Breakfast Bar Manufacturer

Protein, cereal and breakfast bar manufacturers have seen increased demand related to the COVID-19 outbreak for many reasons. Of course, food process facilities are considered critical infrastructure, and stay-at-home orders have increased demand for eat-at-home products. Long shelf-life items, including cereals, granola bars and cereal bars, are seeing a particular uptick in consumer interest, with uncertainty about how long social distancing measures will last. The cereal market has grown by 214% in response to these factors. Further, fears about meat shortages may boost sales of protein bars.

For our customers and many others in the industry, changes in demand have called for increased efficiency. For our client, this meant adding new equipment to their facility. For many companies, especially during these trying times, the best move is to transfer existing assets from under-worked facilities. Cherry’s ensured that the introduction of new equipment didn’t present safety concerns.

The Problem

As our clients increased production in their Indianapolis facility, they quickly recognized the need to keep up with demand while observing social distancing. They were currently using a Cherry’s pallet inverter and needed a second one. The company discovered a pallet inverter that was being underutilized in their Utah facility. So, they shipped the equipment to their Indianapolis location.

When the machines were inspected, they found that the transferred unit had all the latest safety features and upgrades while their existing unit did not. This disparity could lead to several safety issues. Workers would have more to keep track of in the facility, using different precautions around each machine. The advanced safety mechanisms on the newer inverter highlighted the potential issues with the existing inverter.

The company’s Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Director recognized the need to create a uniformly safe environment for employees. So, the company came to Cherry’s wondering how they could continue to use its current assets while also increasing safety.

The Solution

Cherry’s decided to approach the problem with a retrofit to the older pallet inverter. Our team developed a plan to upgrade the machine to have the same safety features and guarding as the transferred unit. As experts in pallet inverter safety, we were able to do a site visit to examine the transferred machine and replicate all its safety guards, sensors and electrical features. Since pallet inverters allow for correct ergonomics and prevent injury from manual repetition, we were able to increase productivity and safety throughout the facility.

By matching the safety features, we developed uniform safety, so no matter which machine the employees use, the extra safeguards are present. These features prevent worker injury, as well as damage to the equipment.

Contact Us to Learn More

At Cherry’s Industrial Equipment, our products take a comprehensive approach to safety. With the current health crisis limiting your labor force and potentially increasing demand for your products, we understand your top priority is increasing efficiency. Our equipment allows your facility to perform more work in less time than manual labor allows. Our equipment increases safety by creating an ergonomically-correct and safe work environment. It includes robust safety features to keep your workers safe.

With Cherry’s, you can improve safety at your facility by introducing solutions that prevent overworking and reduce manual labor that also feature top-of-the-line safety guards, sensors and electrical circuits. Safety features and compliance with regulations come standard on Cherry’s equipment, and you can also request custom equipment with more advanced safety features. As manufacturers are changing and innovating to work around the new conditions created by the COVID-19 crisis, we strive to tailor solutions to any need.

Contact us anytime to learn more about our safety features and to discuss your facility’s needs with an equipment specialist.