Security is paramount in a manufacturing facility. Everybody needs their crew members to be wholesome and out there to carry out their jobs. Accidents are probably the most undesirable consequence, sometimes falling into two classes: instant and progressive.
Fast accidents, akin to a minimize, burn, or damaged bone, require immediate medical remedy. Manufacturing amenities have private protecting tools (PPE) and security protocols to forestall these accidents. Alternatively, progressive accidents construct up over time and could also be tougher to mitigate. A few of these progressive accidents embrace listening to loss, respiratory points, and musculoskeletal issues (MSDs).
This weblog article will focus on pallet stacking security and the way this handbook process will increase the dangers of musculoskeletal issues. We’ll introduce 5 necessary info and deal with security inside three key industries: Meals & Beverage, Pharmaceutical, and Client Items Manufacturing.
Truth 1: The UK misplaced 149.3 million working days to MSDs in 2021 [1]
What are Musculoskeletal issues (MSDs)?MSDs are a gaggle of circumstances that have an effect on the muscle groups, tendons, ligaments, nerves, and different tender tissues of the physique. Repetitive motions, awkward postures, extended static positions, overexertion, and forceful exertions may cause MSDs. |
How palletizing techniques scale back MSDs in meals & beverage tertiary packaging
Truth 2: The incidence charge for MSDs in the US was 25.4 days per 10,000 full-time equal (FTE) employees in 2020 [2]
Working in meals manufacturing poses hazards. Whereas the business has seen some profitable automation, meals and beverage manufacturing encompasses a remarkably numerous array of merchandise that make it difficult to automate totally. Meals and beverage manufacturing contains powders (sugar, flour, spices, child meals), liquids (soda, wine, cooking oils, dressings, sauces), dry merchandise (cereals, nuts, espresso), and perishable merchandise (fruits, greens, cheeses). Dense merchandise (akin to drinks and powders) might be cumbersome. Different merchandise (akin to liquids) might shift with motion, making it extra harmful for an individual to raise above their head or transfer beneath their waist. With regards to palletizing merchandise, choosing and putting require two key movements: again and shoulder flexion.
What’s flexion motion?
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Decrease again ache will increase when there’s a longer period of again flexion in delicate (20° to 40°) and extreme (>45°) positions (reported by the University of Buffalo) or excessive again flexion (>60° per Division of Kinesiology on the University of Waterloo). The handbook palletizing of meals or liquids exposes folks to each. Those that have skilled again ache know that restoration can take a very long time.
Truth 3: Injured employees within the US wanted a median of 14 days earlier than returning to work [2]
Nonetheless, introducing collaborative robotic (cobot) techniques in palletizing operations gives a promising answer. By assuming the bodily and repetitive pressure of putting merchandise on pallets, cobots mitigate the danger of Musculoskeletal Problems (MSDs) related to palletizing duties. For instance, these cobots can execute lengthy horizontal and tall vertical reaches that might be harmful for a human employee.
Whereas the meals manufacturing business tackles the inherent challenges of automating all through the worth stream, integrating cobots in palletizing operations represents a proactive step in the direction of enhancing office security and decreasing the incidence of MSDs.
Pallet stacking security in pharmaceutical manufacturing
Like meals and beverage manufacturing, pharmaceutical manufacturing encompasses a variety of merchandise. It contains merchandise akin to:
- Stable drugs: These embrace tablets, capsules, caplets, and drugs, usually in blister packs, bottles, or jars.
- Liquid medicals: Pharmaceutical liquids akin to syrups, suspensions, options, and oral liquids are packaged in bottles, vials, ampoules, or sachets.
- Powders and granules: Powders and granules could also be packaged in sachets, pouches, bottles, or jars and may embrace merchandise like antibiotics, dietary and protein powders, or granules for oral administration.
- Injectables: Injectable drugs, therapies, and vaccines are available in vials, ampoules, or prefilled syringes. These require particular packaging and dealing with on account of their route of administration.
- Topical therapies: This class contains lotions, ointments, gels, lotions, and patches. These are packaged in tubes, jars, or sachets.
- Disposable sterile merchandise: Intravenous (IV) baggage, needles, infusion options, masks, gloves, face shields, and surgical kits require specialised packaging to keep up sterility.
- Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs: OTC drugs can are available in varied varieties however don’t require a prescription. These embrace ache relievers, cough syrups, antacids, and allergy drugs.
Given the various vary of pharmaceutical merchandise, packaging can range considerably in dimension, form, and weight. Some merchandise are heavy which poses a danger to employees manually putting them on pallets.
Truth 4: 15-20% of misplaced working days within the UK have been on account of MSDs in 2021 [1]
Moreover, automated palletizing techniques play a significant function in defending the product being palletized. Given their usually excessive worth and delicate nature, minimizing product waste and injury is prioritized after employee security. Automated palletizers guarantee exact, constant dealing with and palletization, thereby decreasing the danger of unintentional injury. By implementing automated palletizing techniques, pharmaceutical producers cannot solely improve employee security but in addition safeguard product high quality and integrity, finally contributing to operational effectivity and regulatory compliance.
Decreasing materials dealing with dangers in shopper items manufacturing
In shopper items manufacturing, the manufacturing surroundings is dynamic, with a variety of merchandise being processed and packaged. Client items embody varied objects, together with:
- Family Merchandise: cleansing provides, filters, pots, pans
- Workplace Merchandise: Printer ink, pens, pencils, paper, extension cords
- Electronics and Home equipment: espresso makers, headphones, laptop computer batteries
- Private Care Merchandise: cosmetics, hair care, oral hygiene merchandise
Handbook palletizing in shopper items manufacturing poses further security dangers to employees. Merchandise tower on pallets, requiring staff to put merchandise each beneath and above waist stage. This follow will increase the chance of musculoskeletal accidents, notably when coping with heavy or cumbersome objects. Lifting, climbing, pushing, pulling, and pivoting are the first actions in handbook materials dealing with (MMH) actions, which create a danger of damage on the again and shoulder.
Truth 5: MSDs are liable for about $50 billion in annual prices within the US [3]
Automated palletizing techniques supply an answer to those challenges by decreasing reliance on handbook labor and minimizing the related danger to folks. By automating the palletizing course of, these techniques alleviate the bodily pressure on employees and create a safer working surroundings. They will deal with all kinds of shopper merchandise effectively and precisely, guaranteeing correct stacking and palletization with out the danger of human error.
Conclusion
Offering folks with a protected working surroundings is a high precedence for meals & beverage, pharmaceutical, and shopper product producers. Accidents, whether or not instant or progressive, pose important dangers to employees and may result in substantial lack of working days and productiveness. Musculoskeletal issues (MSDs) are among the many progressive accidents that may outcome from handbook duties like pallet stacking, notably prevalent within the manufacturing of Meals & Beverage, Pharmaceutical, and Client Items.
By means of the dialogue of 5 essential info, it turns into evident that bodily pressure, together with repetitive motions, awkward postures, and overexertion, considerably will increase the danger of MSDs. Nonetheless, the combination of automation (akin to collaborative robotic techniques) gives a promising answer to mitigate these dangers. Cobots can deal with the bodily pressure of palletizing duties, decreasing the chance of MSDs, growing pallet stacking security, and enhancing total office security.
General, by embracing automation in palletizing operations, industries can create safer working environments, shield employee well being, and enhance operational effectivity, finally resulting in better productiveness and success.
The longer term is protected
At Robotiq, we observe the rules of LEAN ROBOTICS to create a standardized answer that’s simpler to scale, repeatable, and straightforward to make use of. We make it straightforward to transition from handbook palletizing to automated palletizing.
Implementation is simpler than you suppose. Speak with one among our automation consultants in the present day to kickstart your undertaking. (Your folks will thanks).
If you’re able to make the transfer to automating your end-of-line course of, our FREE Automated Palletizing Buyer’s Guide offers you insider tips about discovering the most effective automated palletizing answer for your small business.
