Safety Ways and Measures in an FMCG Workplace
Workplace safety rules are an everyday priceless tool
Safety is an everyday requisite for everyone, especially in the workplace, where people spend one-third of their lives.
Given that employees are the heart of every organisation, how can workplace safety measures be prioritised beyond simple compliance and approached holistically to keep everyone safe?
The importance of workplace safety measures in an FMCG workplace
It goes without saying that employee safety is extremely valuable, as a result even minor negligence is cause for concern in the workplace. Workplaces, particularly those involving manufacturing, deal with a lot of manual labour, heavy equipment and machinery. The only way to ensure employee safety in these areas is to implement measures that raise workplace safety consciousness and prevent mishaps.
To avert situations that are untoward, it is essential to understand the importance of safety in the workplace and beware of the following common safety hazards:
Physical hazards
Chemical hazards
Radioactive hazards
Ergonomic hazards
What are a few ways to ensure workplace safety and avoid hazards at manufacturing plants?
Establishing a robust plant layout and design
A plant's layout must be efficient to ensure optimum production and little downtime during the various manufacturing operations. To improve the layout and minimise risks a few simple inclusions can be made to the floor plan:
Anti-skid floor tiles can be installed in areas of the plant that utilise a lot of water.
Clearing clutter can allow workers easy access to controls and equipment.
Effective ventilation and air quality monitors can prevent long-term health issues.
However, the list to establish an optimum layout is extensive and must include plant-specific choices to make the layout as robust as possible.
Using personal protective equipment (PPE)
Personal safety is a priority and different industries necessitate different gear to ensure individual safety. However, there are a few things to remember across all industries when using PPE:
Use gear that safeguards your head
Protects your eyes
Protects your hearing
Does not compromise respiration
Covers your hands
Covers your feet
At the end of the day, this is simply the minimum that could be done to ensure workplace safety but enforcing the right use of PPE gear goes beyond ensuring safety and also improves the quality of the workday.
Using equipment to safeguard against heavy machinery
Manufacturing facilities are surrounded by heavy machinery, and using them can carry a certain risk.
In addition to regular maintenance and inspections, personnel must note the following standard safety measures:
Maintain communication with those nearby the machinery to prevent mishaps
Wear a seat belt while in a vehicle
Utilise the help of other personnel when procedures are not properly understood
Enlist the assistance of relevant IT personnel, in case of highly automated machinery
Perform a pre-work equipment inspection
Be aware of the equipment's limitations
Understand the constraints of your body and mind to avoid fatigue
Understanding ergonomic risks
Ergonomic risks have an impact on the workers' physical health and can be caused by a multitude of reasons such as:
Poor posture and fitness habits
Frequent lifting of equipment
Using excessive force
Performing repetitive work movements
The impact of something as simple as a "sore muscle" could be long-lasting, so it is imperative to prevent workers from being overly exhausted and give them liberty over when to relax and when to work.
Conducting safety training
Safety tools and other precautions implemented by a corporation are only effective if the employees know how to utilise them. Companies can reduce the number of workplace mishaps by regularly conducting work safety demonstrations.
The principle of taking safety precautions in the workplace can be effectively imposed if regularly demonstrated to employees. With digitisation becoming a huge part of manufacturing, relevant training should be conducted to reduce the employee skill gap and ensure optimum safety.
The different types of workplace safety
Road safety
The manufacturing supply chain involves transportation both in production and distribution. It goes without saying that adhering to traffic laws and maintaining road discipline reduce the risk of road mishaps. Drivers should, however, undergo regular vision tests and understand proper fatigue management to ensure optimum road safety.
Weather safety
Bad weather can cause serious damage to factories and directly impact production and affect distribution times. However, regular maintenance of factory equipment, the maintenance of drains and a faultless electrical connection can prevent major mishaps that could take place during floods or storms.
Epidemic safety
To prevent the emergence of an epidemic or pandemic, preventative measures such as maintaining workplace hygiene and cleanliness need to be addressed. Frequent plant sanitisation, employee health screenings, and vaccinations, all help to maintain stability in the event of an outbreak. Additionally, plans for epidemic-related situations must include reviewing communication protocols to ensure safety by curbing the spread of misinformation.
Digital Safety
The internet forms an integral part of most business practices today. Confidential company information, plans and documents are now stored online, making digital safety a necessity. Here are a few tips to maintain online security:
Using updated security software
Being cautious when sharing company information outside the organisation
Minimise outside access to protect data
Conduct regular tests for tech vulnerabilities
Safety measures at HCCB
"World Day for Safety and Health at Work" is observed on the 28th of April every year to raise awareness about the value of using safe working procedures. HCCB utilises this day to raise awareness about safety measures in the manufacturing industry by holding ISO 45001 certification for Occupational and Health Management and also ensuring adherence to a strict QSE (Quality Systems Enhancement) approach to guarantee that workplace protocols are faithfully followed.
Additionally, HCCB adheres to road safety, which is why we sponsored educational programmes during "Road Safety Week" to promote road safety practices.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we installed a door mechanism at our Aranya facility to make sure that the doors to the production area only opened if the employees' hands were washed. Furthermore, we took a conscious step towards ensuring that workers in our factories were vaccinated while resuming work post-pandemic.
Both, the workplace and the worker, have different responsibilities towards safety, but what stands true throughout is that safety will always be important. This is why when it comes down to it, safety is not the responsibility of just one individual or entity but is a shared responsibility we hold together.
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