Plastic manufacturers engage in several processes that are objectively hazardous, but they don’t necessarily need to be dangerous. The following safety tips will help keep everyone in your company on the same page and your people working safely and confidently.
1. Conduct a Risk Assessment
Staying safe in any manufacturing facility requires mindfulness. If you work in plastic manufacturing, creating a mindful environment starts with an honest and thorough risk assessment. Don’t try to mitigate vague hazards, and don’t assume a reactive rather than proactive response is sufficient for managing emerging problems.
Instead, use the following general outline to determine which specific risks your company and processes may be subjected to:
- Hazards: Fire and explosion hazards, potential chemical spills, mechanical failure, power loss, cyberattacks and even workplace violence
- Assets at risk: Employees, building infrastructure, powered and unpowered equipment, wireless and information technology, digital enterprise platforms, supply chain assets and more
- Potential impacts: Injuries and casualties, loss of product, damage to equipment or property, reputational loss, profit loss, lawsuits and regulatory action, environmental contamination and more
Regular risk assessments are especially essential for plastic manufacturers and other industrial entities that experience growth over time.
It's vital to know how vulnerabilities change with employee turnover, new equipment and updated technologies. This ensures the company always has appropriate mitigation techniques, safety equipment and emergency procedures in place.
2. Be Conversant in Manufacturer Guidelines
Whether it’s a handheld hot air tool or a walking welder, plastic manufacturers make use of several types of equipment daily. Every operator should have a thorough understanding of all manufacturer guidelines and safety instructions before they get started.
There may be times when it’s appropriate to contact the company representative who sold you the equipment. Asking for clarification and further guidance could save life or limb.
3. Properly Clean Equipment and Work Areas After Each Use or Shift
There shouldn’t be any clutter in work areas before, during or after an operator completes their shift. Clutter reduces the employee’s range of motion and compromises their ability to react quickly and keep themselves safe.
It’s also essential to pay equally close attention to the condition of each tool. Employees should know how to clean any melted plastic off their tools after each use and make sure air filters are clear of fine debris and other contaminants.
Any tools with electrical cords should be carefully and properly stowed to avoid fraying or other damage. Employers should train their workers to complete equipment cleanup and safety inspections before and after they engage with powered or unpowered tools.
Moreover, employees must know where and how to stow each type of tool so it’s not in the way of others and won’t sustain accidental damage. Deploy the 5S system to maintain lean processes and to implement safe standards for workflow, storage locations and safe travel through the facility.
4. Know How to Respond to Tool Malfunctions and Other Emergencies
Every employee should know how to perform an emergency shutdown of their equipment in the event of a malfunction. They should be well-trained on how to respond to other types of emergencies, as well.
These might include natural disasters, industrial accidents and even active assailants. Keep the following points in mind to ensure employees always know how to respond to emerging situations:
- Educate employees on alert system functionality, as well as how to raise the alarm if they spot an unsafe situation.
- Purchase emergency equipment and keep it in a designated spot. Every employee should know where protective gear, fire extinguishers, first-aid kits, defibrillators and other emergency assets are stored and how to use them safely.
- Designate assembly locations for employees in the event of a facility-wide safety incident. If a dangerous situation develops, such as intense weather or workplace violence, workers should know about and be able to reach an accessible and safe assembly area.
5. Keep Operators Protected at All Times With PPE
Not every plastic welding or fabrication process presents the same hazards. Ultrasonic plastic welding typically doesn’t pose a risk to human ears, for example, but vibration welding definitely can.
When it comes to ear protection, it’s best to require earplugs or similar PPE to keep operators protected at all times. Do this no matter which process the employee is engaged with at the time, so they make it a matter of habit every time they commence working.
Hearing damage isn’t the only kind of injury that’s possible under your roof. Airborne debris and contact with heating elements pose a risk to the eyes and skin. Enforcement of proper work attire is essential, and typically includes the following articles:
- Long-sleeved shirts
- Long pants
- Gloves
- Protective eyewear
- Respirator
6. Use the Right Tools and Materials for the Job
According to the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, only construction and agriculture outrank manufacturing when it comes to rates of power tool injuries.
Manufacturers must take care to match their raw materials to the correct equipment and processes. For example, hot wedge welding and sealing works best with polypropylene, polyethene, PVC-coated fabrics, nylon and others. Choosing poorly may result in a faulty product or employee injury.
Another example involves choosing the right materials for the tools themselves. Injection moulding typically requires steel or aluminium tools, or various alloys of these. Aluminium tooling elements are popular because of their low cost, but they’re not as durable as other material choices. A poor match here may result in tool breakage, equipment damage and employee injury.
7. Always Report Accidents Immediately
Staying safe in the workplace takes proactivity and vigilance. Unfortunately, even the most conscientious workers and employers can’t prevent every incident. At times like these, it’s essential that every employee and manager reports things immediately and knows how to conduct themselves:
- Ask vital questions. Where were you working when the incident occurred? Which tools or equipment were you using? Who else was involved? Who witnessed the incident?
- Take detailed notes and photographs, if possible, of the accident site and any equipment involved or damage sustained. Visually document any injuries as well.
- Get contact details for all involved parties and all witnesses.
This is how we learn from our mistakes. Getting a thorough accounting of a safety incident isn’t about assigning blame — at least not primarily. It’s also so the same error doesn’t happen again in the future.
Ultimately, an ounce of prevention is worth pounds of cure. Employees in plastic manufacturing deserve a safe workplace every day, but creating one means all parties must know the hazards involved and all hands must pull in the same direction.
This article was written before the impact of Covid-19. It should therefore be noted that extra precautions and measures should be considered in order to operate safely and in accordance with social distancing guidelines.