In the first of this two-part series, we looked at how factories pose a danger to workers. And the actual cost behind unsafe work environments for employees. Employee safety is pivotal to running an efficient and productive manufacturing operation. It’s an essential factor that affects employee retention rates and your bottom line.
A safer work environment is instrumental to maintaining a happier workforce and consistently putting out a great product. This report shows how highly employees rate on-site safety and why you should too.
Robotic case packers are not a new concept. Their use in the packing and loading of merchandise has seen a steady rise over the past decade. The latest technology today’s robotic case packers are equipped with makes them safer and faster in multiple categories.
Armed with sensors, smart control, and next-generation cameras to guide them, they boast employee safety throughout your assembly line. It’s not coincidental that worker injury and death rates have been declining as robotic case packers become the norm in factories nationwide.
Here are some ways robotic case packers are helping make factories safer for the workforce:
Robotic case packers are hard-wired to prioritize human safety. They limit your workforce’s contact with heavy and hazardous packages and equipment by taking on the heavy lifting. High Industry standards of today’s robotics are programmed to slow functions down or stop completely whenever a human is detected by its sensors to be in harm’s way.
That means speed, efficiency, and productivity without compromising on staff safety.
Forklift accidents are a leading cause of employee injury and death in the manufacturing industry. Robotic case packers and palletizers minimize the role of employees in the heavy-lifting department of end-of-line packaging. Robotic machines are much safer than mechanical ones when it comes to safety.
Robotics are much better than humans at performing tedious and repetitive tasks and do so with enhanced efficiency. Repetitive tasks cause wear and tear in muscles and lead to multiple health issues if the exposure is prolonged.
Robotic case packers free up your workforce for creative and management tasks that are less mundane. The right combination of automation and workforce can maximize productivity in your factory.
The Covid-19 pandemic has created a worker shortage, and the manufacturing industry is among the hardest-hit sectors. There are not enough candidates to fill all positions, creating huge supply chain problems. Automating the secondary packaging section of your assembly line could mean less dependency on your workforce.
Your staff will be safer and can be allotted more creative positions.
Your workforce needs to be re-trained if you change any element in your packaging set-up. They also face additional safety hazards while overcoming the learning curve of new equipment. Robotic case packers don’t.
They can be programed for a wide array of tasks and are not limited to just packaging a few types of merchandise. Making them highly versatile and drastically reducing change-over time and hassle.
Employee injury is very costly for employers. Take into account their medical bills, lost workdays, and risk of legal action. Automation helps you cut down on this cost while bolstering your productivity and output. By reassigning your employees to safer work, you make your factory safer and preserve resources simultaneously.
Robotic case packers are not gadgets that you can purchase off-the-rack and drop into your assembly line. It’s a change that requires time and effort. Here are some tips for facilitating this transition for you and your workforce:
Your staff is the backbone of your current setup. They know every step of the manufacturing process in detail and are best equipped to help you make decisions regarding automation.
Ensure you onboard your staff and take their input under advisement when selecting robotic case packers for your factory.
Heavy machinery comes with strict usage, installation, and maintenance guidelines. These are to ensure employee safety and maximize output. Always check with local authorities dealing with automated factory equipment. Fulfill any necessary checks and inspections before investing.
The workforce handling new equipment should be trained thoroughly before you give them the reins. Even the best and latest technology can cause more harm than good if you don’t invest in training and educating your employees. Make sure you cover these topics in their training.
Faulty machines and glitches can cause significant loss of human life and resources. Ensure proper maintenance of all heavy machinery to make the most of your investment.
That will go a long way towards not only making your assembly line safer and safeguarding your investment. Your supplier can guide you on which parts need regular replacing and how often you should schedule on-site maintenance visits.
Integration of robotic machinery means reviewing your entire processing plant. Your factory should maintain a harmonious speed to avoid bottlenecks and dangerous accidents.
Knowing what to do in case of an emergency equips your staff to better handle a crisis if the situation arises. Schedule safety drills, demonstrations, and talks. Train your staff in basic first-aid and the use of proper safety equipment. Sometimes, simple steps such as better signs, displaying emergency numbers, and improving visibility can help enhance employee safety.
BluePrint Automation is making the transition to secondary robotic packaging machinery easier for hundreds of factories all across the nation. Automation can give you a better comparative advantage over your competition while bettering on-site safety.
To discuss how your brand can benefit from robotic case packers, give us a call today.
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