Loss Prevention: Manufacturing Risks

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Manufacturing

Of the many risks related to working on a machine, traumatic and disfiguring cases from being caught in the machine are most likely to occur during operation, setup or maintenance.

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Common Costly Machine-Related Injuries

  • Hands and arms caught in the point of operation of presses and other machines while feeding or removing parts.
  • Fingers and hands caught in the machine’s point of operation while clearing jams.
  • Hands caught in the point of operation when the machine accidentally cycled during setup or maintenance.
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Best Practice Tips for Machine-Related Injuries

Eliminate
  • Find alternative methods, such as redesigning the product so that hazardous operations are eliminated.
  • Automate machine feeding to eliminate exposures.
  • Use a machining center rather than individual metalworking machines.
Safeguard the Hazard
  • Install full enclosure barrier guards on power transmission apparatus or where an automated parts or material feeding system is in place. These can be locked in place or secured with special fasteners.
  • Install 2-hand controls with the appropriate level of control reliability and brake monitoring system.
Administrative Controls
  • Train employees on appropriate hazard avoidance methods and then verify that the wanted behaviors are being followed.
  • Implement formal machine lockout/tagout programs.
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Repetitive Motion

Repetitive motion injuries (RMIs) or repeated trauma injuries are a class of disorders that affect the nerves, muscles, tendons and related structures of the neck and upper extremity (shoulder to fingertip) from repeating the same motion over and over again. Also generally known as musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Common types of disorders include: rotator cuff (tendonitis at shoulder), lateral and medial epicondylitis (tendonitis AKA tennis elbow and golfers elbow), carpal tunnel syndrome (nerve disorder at wrist and hand), trigger finger (tenosynovitis of index finger), DeQuervain’s (tenosynovitis of the thumb) and Raynauds phenomena or occupational white finger. Causes in individuals are often unknown but occupational risk factors known to contribute to discomfort include:
  • Job requirements with high repetition
  • Excessive force including static force
  • Awkward postures
  • Contact stress
Hand/arm vibration While cost of repetitive motion injuries has been declining, these injuries are still listed as one of the top five injuries in workers’ compensation claims in areas such as:
  • Office environments in real estate and finance
  • Aviation
Manufacturing industries such as Food Processing and Fabricated Metal Products[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width="1/2"][vc_column_text]

Best Practice Tips

A combination of engineering and administrative controls forms a comprehensive intervention plan.
Engineering Controls:
  • Workstation design interventions to reduce or eliminate awkward postures, such as long reaches, twisting and bending.
  • Layout of the workstation and placement of work should be close to the body in a neutral position to eliminate large reaches.
  • Adjustable seating.
  • Design of hand and power tools to fit the worker and eliminate excessive twisting, pulling, vibration or extreme force.
Administrative Controls:
  • Employee training
  • Scheduling rest breaks
  • Job rotation, making sure each job in the rotation does not stress the same joints
  • Job enlargement
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