Security is paramount in a manufacturing facility. Everybody needs their staff members to be wholesome and out there to carry out their jobs. Accidents are probably the most undesirable final result, sometimes falling into two classes: instant and progressive.
Rapid accidents, equivalent to a reduce, burn, or damaged bone, require immediate medical therapy. Manufacturing amenities have private protecting gear (PPE) and security protocols to stop these accidents. Alternatively, progressive accidents construct up over time and could also be more durable to mitigate. A few of these progressive accidents embody listening to loss, respiratory points, and musculoskeletal issues (MSDs).
This weblog article will talk about pallet stacking security and the way this handbook job will increase the dangers of musculoskeletal issues. We’ll introduce 5 essential information and deal with security inside three key industries: Meals & Beverage, Pharmaceutical, and Client Items Manufacturing.
Reality 1: The UK misplaced 149.3 million working days to MSDs in 2021 [1]
What are Musculoskeletal issues (MSDs)?MSDs are a bunch of circumstances that have an effect on the muscle groups, tendons, ligaments, nerves, and different comfortable tissues of the physique. Repetitive motions, awkward postures, extended static positions, overexertion, and forceful exertions could cause MSDs. |
How palletizing techniques scale back MSDs in meals & beverage tertiary packaging
Reality 2: The incidence price for MSDs in the USA was 25.4 days per 10,000 full-time equal (FTE) staff in 2020 [2]
Working in meals manufacturing poses hazards. Whereas the business has seen some profitable automation, meals and beverage manufacturing encompasses a remarkably various array of merchandise that make it difficult to automate absolutely. 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 (equivalent to drinks and powders) may be cumbersome. Different merchandise (equivalent to liquids) could shift with motion, making it extra harmful for an individual to raise above their head or transfer under their waist. On the subject of palletizing merchandise, selecting 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 gentle (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.
Reality 3: Injured staff within the US wanted a median of 14 days earlier than returning to work [2]
Nevertheless, introducing collaborative robotic (cobot) techniques in palletizing operations affords a promising resolution. By assuming the bodily and repetitive pressure of putting merchandise on pallets, cobots mitigate the danger of Musculoskeletal Issues (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 lowering 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 equivalent to:
- Strong drugs: These embody tablets, capsules, caplets, and capsules, usually in blister packs, bottles, or jars.
- Liquid medicals: Pharmaceutical liquids equivalent 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 embody 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 attributable to 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 take care of sterility.
- Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs: OTC drugs can are available in varied types however don’t require a prescription. These embody ache relievers, cough syrups, antacids, and allergy drugs.
Given the various vary of pharmaceutical merchandise, packaging can fluctuate considerably in measurement, form, and weight. Some merchandise are heavy which poses a threat to staff manually putting them on pallets.
Reality 4: 15-20% of misplaced working days within the UK had been attributable to MSDs in 2021 [1]
Moreover, automated palletizing techniques play a significant position in defending the product being palletized. Given their usually excessive worth and delicate nature, minimizing product waste and harm is prioritized after employee security. Automated palletizers guarantee exact, constant dealing with and palletization, thereby lowering the danger of unintentional harm. By implementing automated palletizing techniques, pharmaceutical producers can’t solely improve employee security but in addition safeguard product high quality and integrity, in the end contributing to operational effectivity and regulatory compliance.
Lowering materials dealing with dangers in shopper items manufacturing
In shopper items manufacturing, the manufacturing setting is dynamic, with a variety of merchandise being processed and packaged. Client items embody varied gadgets, 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
Guide palletizing in shopper items manufacturing poses further security dangers to staff. Merchandise tower on pallets, requiring staff to position merchandise each under and above waist degree. This observe will increase the chance of musculoskeletal accidents, notably when coping with heavy or cumbersome gadgets. Lifting, climbing, pushing, pulling, and pivoting are the first actions in handbook materials dealing with (MMH) actions, which create a threat of damage on the again and shoulder.
Reality 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 lowering reliance on handbook labor and minimizing the related threat to folks. By automating the palletizing course of, these techniques alleviate the bodily pressure on staff and create a safer working setting. 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 secure working setting is a high precedence for meals & beverage, pharmaceutical, and shopper product producers. Accidents, whether or not instant or progressive, pose vital dangers to staff and may result in substantial lack of working days and productiveness. Musculoskeletal issues (MSDs) are among the many progressive accidents that may end result from handbook duties like pallet stacking, notably prevalent within the manufacturing of Meals & Beverage, Pharmaceutical, and Client Items.
By the dialogue of 5 essential information, it turns into evident that bodily pressure, together with repetitive motions, awkward postures, and overexertion, considerably will increase the danger of MSDs. Nevertheless, the combination of automation (equivalent to collaborative robotic techniques) affords a promising resolution to mitigate these dangers. Cobots can deal with the bodily pressure of palletizing duties, lowering the chance of MSDs, rising pallet stacking security, and enhancing total office security.
General, by embracing automation in palletizing operations, industries can create safer working environments, defend employee well being, and enhance operational effectivity, in the end resulting in higher productiveness and success.
The longer term is secure
At Robotiq, we observe the ideas of LEAN ROBOTICS to create a standardized resolution that’s simpler to scale, repeatable, and simple to make use of. We make it straightforward to transition from handbook palletizing to automated palletizing.
Implementation is less complicated than you assume. Speak with certainly one of our automation specialists right this moment to kickstart your venture. (Your folks will thanks).
In case you are able to make the transfer to automating your end-of-line course of, our FREE Automated Palletizing Buyer’s Guide offers you insider recommendations on discovering the perfect automated palletizing resolution for your online business.
