On paper, palletizing appears to be like like a fundamental job: stack containers, repeat. In actuality, it’s one of many most injury-prone jobs in manufacturing—and one of many best to automate.
When you’re on the lookout for a low-risk, high-reward place to begin with automation, look no additional than the tip of your line. Right here’s why handbook palletizing is inflicting extra harm than you suppose—and the way automation turns it right into a strategic benefit.
One employee, one hour, countless danger
Meet Julia. She works in packaging and spends a part of her shift lifting containers onto pallets. Some weigh 12 lbs, others extra. On a very good day, she handles over 700 lifts in a single hour. No twisting, simply repetitive movement—time and again.
Now zoom out.
Multiply Julia’s routine throughout a number of staff, throughout a number of shifts. Then add:
- Fatigue
- Missed rotations
- No time for breaks
- Various field weights and pallet heights
This is not only a powerful job; it is a setup for accidents. And never the type that heal in a single day. We’re speaking muscle strains, nerve harm, persistent again ache, and long-term incapacity. It’s no marvel handbook palletizing ranks excessive on the damage charts.
The maths behind the mayhem
Let’s break it down:
- 33% of overexertion accidents come from lifting/reducing duties.
- Accidents to the again and shoulders account for 79% of those circumstances.
- One single pressure damage can value a enterprise $67,000+.
- The oblique value (productiveness loss, turnover, morale) can push that over $2 million in misplaced gross sales.
Handbook palletizing doesn’t simply pressure your group. It quietly eats away at your revenue margins and manufacturing reliability.
The repair? Take away the chance totally
Not like different complicated automation tasks, palletizing is a no brainer. It’s repetitive. It’s constant. It’s begging for a cobot.
Right here’s what occurs if you automate:
✅ You remove the ergonomic danger altogether
✅ Your staff transfer into safer, higher-value duties
✅ You get predictable efficiency and fewer downtime
✅ You future-proof one in all your most susceptible processes
And with Robotiq Palletizing Options, setup takes just some days. No customized engineering. No additional coding. Only a safer, extra productive line.
Why this issues now
Labor shortages. Insurance coverage hikes. Tight margins. When you’re feeling the strain, you’re not alone, and handbook palletizing isn’t serving to. Each damage is a setback. Each delay, a price.
However with automation, each pallet turns into a possibility to do higher.
Take the subsequent step
💻 Do not miss our Ergonomics webinar with licensed security knowledgeable Carla Silver – register today!
📘 Want extra particulars and statistics? Obtain our Ergonomics ebook, additionally by Carla Silver.
