By Mike Nelms, Induron Production Manager

Can you be safe AND efficient? Sure you can, if you practice safety and efficiency in the correct fashion.

Have you ever heard someone in your facility say, “If you put a guard on that, it will slow me down.”? We’re all looking to be more efficient in our daily tasks, but safety is paramount. The key in a situation like this is to ensure you’re installing the RIGHT type of guard for the process being performed, the ergonomics and the machine type itself. If you do this, safety and efficiency can live in harmony.

There are gains to be made in both safety and efficiency everywhere we look. Take a look around your facility and consider the following:

• Are raw materials stored as near as possible to the manufacturing area where they are used?
• Are your forklifts and other material handling equipment sized correctly for the job?
• Have you reduced double- or even triple-handling of raw materials and finished goods throughout your facility?
• Are all required work station items available there?
• Are your housekeeping habits as good as they should be?
• Are expendable tools and supplies controlled properly and readily available?
• Do you have a preventive maintenance program? Is it as effective as you want it to be?
• Do you keep critical spare parts readily available to keep machinery on-line?
• Are your warehouse operations orderly to reduce handling, packaging and shipping costs?
• Have you reduced manual lifting and carrying as much as reasonably possible?
• Do you have adequate lighting throughout your facility to perform the required tasks?
• Are your employees adequately trained to safely and efficiently perform the duties required?

If you answered “no” to any of the above questions, it may be time to reevaluate your practices. Take some time today to really look at your facility and operations, and make changes to maximize your safety AND efficiency.