Health and safety are of critical importance within manufacturing sites. There is a large number of goods handled on a daily basis and the process of doing so can impact on health and safety measures. The use of equipment, such as packaging wrappers and handling aids, can improve safety levels and make the process more efficient.
Cost Factors
Health and safety issues can add a considerable cost to UK businesses. Injuries and ill-health that are caused by work-related activities cost society overall around £14.2 billion between 2012 and 2013. This is calculated by £6 billion for healthcare and lost productivity and £8.2 billion for the money that is provided to employees for their pain and suffering. Any ways in which these figures can be reduced will be of benefit to businesses.
Lifting and Handling Injuries
One of the biggest causes of loss for a company is through injuries related to the lifting and handling of goods. In 2013-14, handling errors caused the most number of injuries that took over seven days to heal. The use of lifting or handling aids, including fork lift trucks, pallet trucks, and cranes, can significantly reduce the number of injuries. These also improve productivity levels, as a greater number of packages and heavier loads can be handled when compared to manual lifting techniques.
Benefits of Packaging Equipment
The addition of packaging equipment, into the production line, can also improve health and safety levels. These enable goods to be securely loaded onto pallets, which can then be easily moved using handling equipment. Wrapping the pallet tightly also reduces the risk of the goods falling off and becoming damaged or injuring an employee. Unstable pallets can be extremely dangerous on a production site. They can lead to delays in the packaging process and increase the amount of damaged stock and subsequently loses that a business suffers from.
Improving the health and safety of your site is not only beneficial for your workers’ health. It can also make the whole business more efficient and effective, improving productivity, reducing costs and enhancing the service that you provide to your customers. By looking closely at a few key areas, you can easily improve safety and make your company a better place to work.
