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The efficiency of your production line can have a direct effect on the ability to show a consistent profit in your business. Toward this effort, the safety of your line workers is of critical importance, because injuries can affect the amount of money you spend on premiums for insurance and can also result in ruinous legal costs. Business owners can take a number of proactive steps to ensure the safety of your employees, as well as improve the environment for maximum productivity. Here are three of the strategies savvy business owners take to ensure both safety and efficiency.
1 – Scheduled Maintenance for Your Production Line
One of the most important aspects of safety in a production line is the matter of regular maintenance. Equipment should be thoroughly inspected on a set schedule, with documentation to ensure that the inspections and repairs are being done properly. This action can have a number of benefits for the business. First, equipment malfunctions can be reduced, decreasing the risk of injuries to employees. Secondly, the equipment will be less likely to experience breakdowns that put a halt to production. Thirdly, because today’s production equipment is so expensive, regular maintenance ensures that it can be in service for the maximum period of its lifetime, The use of high performance materials on lines, such as those at E-Plas, can help to reduce breakage and hazards, allowing for better efficiency.
2 – Invest in Safety Equipment
Along with regular safety meetings, business owners should ensure that sufficient safety equipment is on hand for employees at all times. These items should include back supports, for work that involves, lifting, reaching and twisting motions. Goggles to protect eyes from debris should be a staple piece of equipment for some production tasks. Eyewash stations can be important for some types of work. Earplugs may be needed to reduce damage to hearing from noisy equipment. Gloves suitable for the type of work being done should also be available. Your regular safety meetings should reinforce the proper use of this equipment to protect employees while working.
3 – Human Factors
The human element is a critical part of any safety program. Workers that arrive on the job fatigued, mentally distracted or under the influence of drugs or alcohol can be a hazard, not only to themselves, but also to others that work with them. Your supervisory team should require special training in recognizing the signs of impaired workers and should be ready to reach out, in a professional way, to discuss these issues with those under their supervision. The company should also be ready to refer employees to mental health counseling and addiction treatment services, when these incidents arise.
In the end, any perceived conflict between ensuring safety and encouraging production is a false one. A workforce that is well trained in safety measures, and has the proper work environment, is free to concentrate on the job at hand. In addition, workers that know their welfare has been considered have better morale and are willing to contribute their efforts to stated production goals. With these measures in place, business owners can concentrate on managing current schedules and reaching new customers for the future.
