| Every workplace has an accident waiting to happen. If that workplace has heavy machinery operating, the danger of injury accidents occurring is even greater. Factories are after all, manned by humans, who are not infallible. Mistakes will be made and oversights will occur. Whether it is an accident or careless action, the result of a failure to pay attention in the workplace can be dire. Workplaces where conveyor machinery is present provide one of the most dangerous environments for those who work on them or around them. According to the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics, over fifty deaths per year result due to conveyor negligence or malfunction.  Although conveyors can be great efficiency boosters and cost saving mechanisms, when implemented improperly they at times can do more harm then good. As workers compensation claims become more burdensome and insurance costs unfold at steeper rates, it is now more important then ever to take workplace safety seriously. By looking at some of the common safety rules and reviewing the more dangerous parts of the conveyor we might be able to establish a better fundamental understanding of how to cut down on workplace mishaps. Although many people feel that rules are meant to be broken, in the case of conveyor safety this is never the case. One of the first rules is to make sure the system is not running and the motor is disconnected before any maintenance is performed. If you do plan on servicing your system it is crucial to use only properly trained personal and technicians so as to avoid any potential injury due to lack of expertise. Another great safety policy is to keep all loose objects away from the machine. Items like hair, baggy clothing and jewelry should be kept away from the moving parts to skirt anyone becoming hurt by accidental entanglement. Conveyors are not toys and should not be ridden, sat on, or leaned against. Treat them with the respect they deserve. Do not overload the conveyor or use it for anything but the job it is intended for. Only authorized employees should be allowed to run the system at all times. Before the system is turned on, ensure that safety guards and protectors have not been tampered with and any obstructions removed. Conveyors are complicated powerful pieces of machinery, so alertness is always required. Now we will look at some of the more hazardous facets of the modern marvel of machinery.  Conveyors are exposed pieces of machinery that have a lot of points of concern. Some of the most hazardous sections include the power transmission, the guard joints and transfer mechanisms. Other dangerous portions are called "squeeze" or "nip" points. These refer to any junction where moving parts meet, causing breaks or changes in the system while setting up opportunities for things to get caught or stuck. Some of the more troublesome areas are anywhere things can spill, jam, pinch or shear. Dead spaces, as well as blind spots, can also be cause for concern. Common sense with awareness and caution remain the foundation of any good safety policy when working around open machinery of any type. Any part of the conveyor system that poses a potential risk should be marked with signage and clearly blocked off. No matter how your system is utilized, it is critical to take all measures you can to protect your employees who come in direct contact with the belts, drives and processes. If you ever see any misconduct at the work place it is wise to report the violations immediately to a supervisor. Although it may feel like telling on someone or cause a rift in a relationship, nothing is worth the risk of losing life or limb. If you are in anyway responsible for operating or utilizing a conveyor then it is a best practice to read and review as many conveyor manuals and articles related to safety Visit Wilkie Brothers Coveyors for more information on conveyors or to order Rapid Industries Replacement Parts, Saginaw Replacement Parts or any other related replacement parts. This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 11th, 2012 at 5:00 pm by Paul Timmerman and is filed under Technology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.  | |||
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