When you choose machinery for your factory, you have to find something that's efficient and long-lasting. But you also need to keep safety in mind, and you can't sacrifice worker safety for the sake of saving some money in the budget or getting the job done a little faster. Even if some risk is inherent in the type of work being done on the factory floor, you have to minimize the risk as much as possible. This is a multi-step process that starts long before you turn on the machinery.
Choosing Parts With Safety in Mind
Every machine you choose, every part, has to be evaluated for safety. If it's a part that people will be exposed to, is it dangerous? Can someone be hurt if they accidentally touch it? Can it fly off the machine? You need to look for parts with built-in safety mechanisms, from guards that sit in front of the piece to extra restraints to automated machine control safety systems that govern its use.
Detection Is Next
Those automated control systems can't be overlooked. These are not just command software programs that run the machinery; these are detection programs that stop the machinery if a flaw is detected. Should something go wrong in the process of using the machinery, you need it to stop working immediately. An automated control safety feature should activate quickly and shut down the equipment in a safe manner.
Reinspection Is Always Necessary
If something does shut down due to a safety factor, you'll need to reinspect the machinery before starting it up again. The reasoning is this: if something goes out of whack in one part, it can have a ripple effect down the line. So, before restarting the equipment, you want to inspect the whole setup to ensure no more issues will force another shutdown.
The Human Factor
The machine might have an automated control system that shuts down for safety reasons, but the human factor in this can't be overstated. You and your workers need a specific protocol in place for each piece of machinery. When a shutdown occurs, you all need to know who takes what step next. That will make the safety protocols surrounding the equipment more efficient and allow your factory to get back to work more quickly.
If you keep safety at the front of your mind when choosing equipment, you'll find it's easier to keep the rest of the factory's safety and operations intact as much as possible. A machine control safety system that automatically shuts down malfunctioning machinery is a key part of that process.
For more information about machine control safety, contact a company like Henry M. Wood Company.
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