A manufactory or a production factory typically contains industrial equipment that is vital to the company. Along with industrial equipment, the people who utilize the machinery are also another important element in any manufacturing plant.
When machinery and people work together to create and produce products, specific guidelines in regards to safety should always be followed. No one wants to think about or go through an accident or injury, especially at a manufactory. Today, we will talk about a few examples where accidents and injuries could have been avoided by using safety gear.
Protective Eye Wear
In every factory, there is a set of safety guidelines or policies. Generally, these guidelines cater specifically to the types of products the factory will be producing. Keep in mind, that these specific guidelines are set to prevent accidents and injury, even if it appears to sound trivial, it could very well save your life. For instance, a new employee begins their first day of work. One of the safety guidelines indicates to use protective eyewear to avoid accidents and injury as the task involves cutting pieces of wood.
This particular employee forgot to wear their protective eyewear and, instead, left it dangling around their neck. The production day started and this employee began working with the wooden material. All of a sudden a small piece of wood broke off as they were working on it. Subsequently, the small piece of wood landed in their eyes, resulting in injury. The event happened so quickly that this employee also forgot to turn off the electric saw, causing damage to it when they dropped it on the floor. In this example, using and remembering to use protective eyewear could have prevented the accident and the injury.
Ear Protection
Working in a manufactory can sometimes get a bit noisy. Being exposed to high decibel noises can result in hearing loss, especially if you are exposed to it every day at work. That is why it is also important to use safety gear like earplugs or earmuffs to protect your hearing. For instance, an employee’s job is to create and assemble pieces of furniture. The typical tools used in this type of industry are electric drills, electric saws, hammers, and other related machinery. This particular employee has been working at the manufacturing company for a few years without using ear protection.
One day, the employee went to visit his physician with complaints about ringing in his ears. His doctor checks and asks him a few questions and conducted a series of tests. The employee later found out that the results had indicated he had a sort of hearing loss due to the exposure of high decibel noises. He remembered that he was issued earplugs by the company but did not use them because he did not feel comfortable wearing them. Because he did not wear the ear protection given to him, it resulted in a long term injury.
Safety Foot Wear
It’s obvious that if you’re working in a factory, you wouldn’t go to work wearing inappropriate footwear. Perhaps it is the middle of summer and the scorching heat has you bothered so much that you decide to go to work in flip-flops. You arrive at work and think to yourself, “no one said anything to me, so I guess it’s alright.” You head over to your work station on the production floor when you stub your toe walking near a steel cabinet.
Aching from the pain, you hit the steel cabinet in anger. The steel cabinet falls to the ground causing some of the factory’s tools to fall out. You think to yourself, “I shouldn’t have worn flip-flops to work. I should have worn my safety boots instead.” Reprimanded by management, you head home sulking.
Later, in your living room, you take a look at your work safety boots and decide to purchase another pair for work. You visit website that is known for carrying the brand Mongrel and choose a pair. As you click checkout, you say to yourself, “I should have just bought another pair of work boots. Now, my toe aches and I got in trouble at work. I’m not going to do that again.” Wearing appropriate safety footwear to work could have prevented the accident and injury from happening.
Safety Gloves
Depending on the type of products your factory produces, wearing safety gloves is typically a must in the manufacturing industry. Food manufacturers, furniture manufacturers, and electronics manufacturers are only to name a few industries that use safety gloves in their factories. Safety gloves come in a variety of thickness and material.
It protects both the employee handling the product and it also protects the product itself. You may have heard in the news various injuries that occurred because of accidents at work. You may have even read an article that talks about an employee who injured their hand while working on a production line. Safety should always be a priority, and with it, wearing appropriate gear like safety gloves.
Safety Outfit
You’ve seen them worn at many factories. They come in different types and are usually specific to the type of protection your body needs when being exposed to certain elements at work. It can protect you from being burned or protect from being exposed to hazardous chemicals. It can also protect you in a variety of other ways. For many who work in a manufactory, wearing a safety outfit is typically required, especially when working with material that can affect your health.
In this example, an employee works at a chemical manufacturing plant. The employee woke up late and heads to work in a hurry. When they arrive at the plant, they begin working immediately. The employee says to themselves, “I’m already late and I don’t have time to wear my safety outfit right now.
I’ll wear it after my first break.” Moments later, a highly acidic chemical splashes unto the employee’s arms. Generally, this happens but there is no issue as the employee was supposed to be wearing their safety outfit. Because the employee did not wear the safety outfit, their arms were injured because of the chemical reaction that occurred on their skin. This is another example that explains how vital it is to wear a safety outfit to prevent accidents and injuring from occurring.
These are only to mention a few examples of why wearing safety gear is important in a manufactory. Adhering to safety guidelines or policies are also important in maintaining a safe working environment.