Manufacturing plants are busy hubs of activity, where raw materials are converted into finished goods through a series of machinery, processes and human skills. So, when we talk about a manufacturing plant, we are basically emphasizing on an all-inclusive and rightful combination of equipment, processes and people working together. Therefore, ensuring the safety of every individual involved within the plant is uncompromising. Maintaining critical and elaborated safety protocols to such dynamic environments presents another level of challenges. In this article, we will evaluate those challenges and explore how advanced technology can be harnessed to ensure a more secure and productive manufacturing environment for everyone.
Manufacturing is all about people, for the people, by the people. In the manufacturing process, everything is linked and dependent on each other, and ultimately depends on how human resources are utilized to make the process smoother. Skilled professionals operate machinery, supervise and manage manufacturing processes, ensuring the smooth flow of operations. The well-being of workers is not just an ethical issue anymore, but also a critical and imperative factor in maintaining the productivity and efficiency of a manufacturing plant. A safe manufacturing environment nurtures employee morale, minimizes absenteeism due to injuries, and contributes to a more positive and productive work culture.
The cost of safety lapses can be difficult to handle, as they not only impact individual workers but also the company and even the surrounding community. Workplace accidents can cause serious injuries, disabilities, and even loss of life, leading to immense physical and psychological anguish for the families of the victims. For companies, accidents translate not only to financial losses through worker compensation claims but also to production downtime and potential legal repercussions. Moreover, serious incidents may damage the reputation of the company and erode public trust.
No matter how much effort is put into training programs and safety awareness initiatives, human errors cannot be nullified. And that human errors contribute largely to workplace accidents, even for the most conscientious worker. Fatigue, absentmindedness, distractions, and complacency can lead to critical mistakes with potentially devastating consequences. Therefore, a proactive approach is mandatory to address such inherently unpredictable human behaviour and that cannot be achieved within the limitations of traditional safety measures.
Even apparently simple manufacturing plant requires a complex and harmonious interaction of workers, machinery, raw-materials, production and processes. Keeping track of potential hazards at any level of this extensive dynamic system can be very difficult without the right set of applications being employed. Identifying the real-time crisis and gauging the risks associated with these dynamics requires steady professional approach.
In general, traditional safety protocols rely on periodic inspections, manual data collection, and incident reporting. While these methods provide valuable feedbacks, they often fail to collect real-time data and therefore they lack addressing real-time potential hazards. Relying solely on traditional safety protocols limits a company's ability to proactively identify and address risks before they escalate into accidents.
During an emergency, every second counts. Quick and flawless coordination can make the difference between life and death. On the other hand, confusion, inability to obtain correct directions, ineffective communication and most importantly, wrong or inefficient approach can critically hinder evacuation efforts and multiply the impact of emergency.
Investing in workplace safety and workers’ health significantly reduces both direct and indirect costs, decreasing insurance premiums while also improving performance and productivity. Additionally, it minimizes absenteeism and increases worker morale.
According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), each year over 2.3 million women and men die at work from workplace accidents. Of these, over 350,000 deaths are due to fatal accidents, and almost 2 million deaths are due to fatal work-related diseases.
In addition to this, over 313 million workers experience non-fatal workplace accidents resulting in critical injuries and absences from the workplace, with over 160 million workers becoming victims of workplace-related diseases. In fact, according to estimates by the International Labour Organization, approximately 6,400 people die from workplace accidents or work-related diseases, and 860,000 workers are injured at the workplace. Moreover, as estimates show, work-related diseases cause at least six times more fatalities than workplace accidents. This underscores the importance of creating planning and strategies for prevention that address both workplace-related diseases and accidents.
As per ILO estimates, annually more than 48,000 workers die in India due to workplace accidents, and nearly 37 million workplace accidents result in at least 3 days of absence from work. The casualty rate is 11.4 per 100,000 workers. It’s important to note that India didn’t report the entire casualty to the ILO during the statistical data sampling phase (source: Global Estimates of Occupational Accidents by Päivi Hämäläinen, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Jukka Takala, International Commission of Occupational Health, Kaija Leena Saarela, Tamere University of Technology, Institute of Occupational Safety Engineering, 2006).
It is important to note that more workplace-related accidents are reported to the International Labour Organization than before. However, it is also important to consider that only an estimated 3.9% of the casualties are actually reported to the ILO, a global average. It’s not only that India and China reported workplace accidents in fewer numbers than actually occurred; countries like the USA also underreport workplace injuries (source: Leigh, J.P., Marcin, J.P., Miller, T.R, 2004. An estimate of the US government's undercount of nonfatal occupational injuries. The Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 46, 10–18). So, technically, the number being shown as an estimated workplace accident understates the reality, which is far higher, leading to serious consequences such as fatalities, loss of productivity, and damage to the reputation of the concerned company. This underscores that workplace accidents are a serious and critical issue that needs to be addressed promptly.
In today’s world, technological advancements offer powerful tools to address these challenges and implement safety protocols in manufacturing plants.
Wearable safety devices by SafeIN are revolutionizing the way we approach worker safety. These small yet effective devices can be equipped with a variety of sensors and functionalities to provide real-time hazard alerts and data collection. This allows workers to make informed decisions and avoid potential hazards.
Let’s consider a hypothetical situation: a worker is going through a zone with heavy machinery. His wearable device starts vibrating and alerts him to the potential danger. He can then pause, assess the real-time situation and proceed with caution, thus avoiding a potential accident. This shows the power of the real-time hazard alert and how it helps. Wearable devices can detect and alert workers to a wide range of potential dangers like :
Proximity to Hazardous Equipment : If workers approach hazardous equipment too closely, an alert can be triggered, preventing collisions and injuries.
Exposure to Harmful Substances : Safety devices can detect the presence of toxic gases, chemicals, or radiation, prompting workers to take necessary protective measures.
Unsafe Environmental Conditions : Alerts can be issued for extreme temperatures, high noise levels, or slippery surfaces, allowing workers to adjust their behaviour or use appropriate safety gear.
In any standard manufacturing environment, fatigue poses a silent threat. Countless workplace accidents take place solely due to fatigue, as fatigue impairs judgment and reaction time. Wearable safety device can monitor physiological indications such as variable heart rate, irregular sleep patterns to identify fatigue levels in workers. Understanding the fatigue level in a worker enables supervisors to take prompt and proactive actions, hence minimizing the risk of potential hazards in the workplace due to fatigue.
Integrated Monitoring Systems offer a comprehensive overview in the domain of safety landscape of a manufacturing plant. By collecting data from various sources and then analysing them effectively, these integrated monitoring systems ultimately contribute largely in the picturesque of minimizing potential risks and maximizing operational efficiency.
A strategic placement of sensors throughout the plant can monitor environmental factors such as air quality, noise levels, and temperature. This data can be used to identify potential health hazards and ensure compliance with safety regulations.
Tracking equipment performance offered by SafeIN is essential as it helps in predicting potential malfunctions and preventing breakdowns, hence, minimizing the possibility of workplace accidents. Also, by analysing the data related to vibration, temperature and energy consumption, maintenance team can proactively address the possibility of the hazards even before they manifest to serious accidents.
By implementing advanced technology, a company can proactively allow swift and coordinated response at the time of emergencies.
Centralized Alert Systems can immediately inform all personnel that may otherwise be impacted by the accident, offering them clear instructions and guidance. Such type of advanced systems can be triggered either manually or automatically, based on the available data from sensors and monitoring systems, ensuring accurate and flawless alert on time.
At the time of evacuation-related emergency, clear and concise instructions on real time holds the supreme importance. Advanced technology can provide real-time evacuation routes based on the location of emergency and the presence of individuals at the time of the incident. Moreover, technology-based communication platforms like SafeIN can allow efficient communication and coordination between response teams and workers, ensuring necessary on-time assistance to everyone.
Although technological advancement offers powerful tools for boosting safety protocols, it’s important to understand that they are not a magic solution. In order to create an all-inclusive safe workplace environment, it is important to focus on a multifaceted approach that integrates technology with individuals and their actions.
Implementing and integrating a safety culture is not an overnight job. In fact, it requires a meticulous approach that starts with leadership with apt potential, worker engagement, regular interactive safety training, open communications and incentivizing safe behaviours are crucial elements to consider in the process.
Workplace safety is an ongoing process. Continuous reviewing and receiving feedback of implemented safety protocols, regular data analysis and implementing improvements are essential for maintaining the right safety environment.
Improving safety protocols in manufacturing plants is an ongoing process that requires a right balance between individual vigilance and technological innovation. By embracing advanced technologies such as SafeIN’s wearable safety devices to integrated monitoring system to emergency response platforms, along with the active participation of plant managers and safety officers, together all can create a more secure and productive environment for their workforce. Safety is not just a compliance of regulation, it is an investment in the well-being of the employees and long-term success of the company.