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As manufacturing processes become ever more sophisticated, industrial safety standards are constantly being overhauled and updated to keep up with them. The past three years have been a particularly intense period of change, with many forward-thinking companies beginning to implement safer practices even before regulatory bodies mandate them.
In today's technologically complex plants, highly trained employees are more valuable than ever. Safety-minded managers are implementing best practices that go beyond current regulations to embrace the reality of these highly automated industrial workplaces - and the dangers inherent in them.
Automated Stretch Wrap Machines: Unprotected Danger
Automated stretch wrap machines are one area of plant operation in which new regulations have not kept pace with new technology. As ubiquitous as they are in loading dock areas where palletizing occurs, there still aren't specific OSHA guidelines regarding proper guarding of stretch wrap machinery.
Currently, these safety regulations for these machines default to the general requirements for all machines per OSHA 29 CFR .212 (a) (3) (ii) which states that 'the point of operation of machines whose operation exposes an employee to injury SHALL BE GUARDED.' The code goes on to state that 'in the absence of applicable specific standards: the machine shall be so designed and constructed to prevent the operator from having any part of [his] body in the danger zone during the operating cycle.' Fortunately, measures can be taken to isolate stretch wrap machine operation with proper guarding devices such as fixed fencing and automated barrier doors.
Additionally, every operation should at least uphold the OSHA General Requirements of All Machines. As a basic rule, companies should ensure the safety of their employees. The OSHA General Duties Clause essentially stipulates that employers provide employees with safe working conditions and that those employees comply with occupational safety and health standards under this act.
As with most other industrial processes, what began as a manual operation (bending, pulling, and moving stretch wrap around a pallet) is now commonly automated. Most workers are happy to not 'stoop and circle' a pallet of product, but rather push a button and allow the machine to take over the task.
However, this particular aspect of plant operation has long been overlooked as a hazard. With suppliers adding more automated functions to their floors (including intelligent conveyors, AGVs, and AS/RS systems), it's critical that safety methodology is similar to that of other automated or robotic processes and is compliant with current standards.
Options for Point-of-Interaction Safety
Certainly, presence-sensing devices such as light curtains and laser scanners are potential solutions for point-of-interaction safety, whether it's in a robotic cell, on the assembly line, or at a stretch wrap machine. Automated barrier doors may provide an even better option, as they have many of the same benefits as presence sensors, but with several additional advantages.
Most notably, automated barrier doors provide a physical barrier that can help protect an employee and contain the process, while at the same time restricting access to dangerous machine movement. This is particularly important for processes such as stretch wrapping in which inertia keeps machinery in motion ' even after it has been shut down. Additionally, an automated barrier door can be located closer to the process, allowing for a much smaller footprint in the facility.
The most advanced roll-up automated barrier doors offer high-speed, high-cycle technology, as well as PLe hold-down mechanisms and safety rated non-contact interlock switches and controls. Most automated doors function from the top down, but some have been designed to operate from the ground up. This allows machine operators to easily interact with the process utilizing overhead cranes to load and unload large, heavy parts. They are also a great option for interaction points that have a very limited space.
Safety in the Future
It's important that facility managers keep up on the latest safety technologies available to match the right product to the right process, taking not only potential machine hazards into consideration, but the task being performed. It is also important to look past the lack of specific regulations and consider the broader context of OSHA language and guard 'the point of operation of machines, whose operation exposes an employee to injury.'
Automated and/or robotic stretch wrap operations fall into this category. Given the recent advances in their design and technology, automated barrier doors can be an excellent option to guard these machines and protect operators, ultimately increasing productivity and the level of safety for years to come.
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If your facility invested in an automatic pallet wrapper, then you're likely already experiencing total cost of business (TCOB) reductions. Consider the efficiency gains in sheer productivity. Remember when one warehouse worker would wrap maybe thirty pallets over the course of an entire workday? Entry model turntable wrappers can wrap as many in one hour, and more advanced double rotary arm wrappers can accomplish 130 pallet wraps per hour. Moreover, these automated improvements can be accomplished while saving warehouse workers from repetitively contorting their bodies into awkward wrapping positions that often result in strained necks and backs'and sometimes workers' compensation claims.
While automation-generated savings can substantially lower TCOB and promote workforce well-being, managers can optimize these savings by following the most effective automatic pallet wrapper safety practices for warehouses. Let's take a closer look at some of the best practices for operating an automated stretch wrap machine and then examine how plastic pallets fit into the overall safety equation.
Automatic Pallet Wrapper Safety Protocols
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As warehouses transition from wrapping pallets manually to utilizing advanced machinery to accomplish the job, managers should ensure that they are implementing the appropriate safety practices to accompany their productivity upgrade. Here are a few best practices that will strengthen warehouse automatic pallet wrapper safety.
Implement machine guarding standards for automated workspaces to protect warehouse workers and visitors.
Erect barriers around pallet wrapping area.
Install presence detection systems that can interface with automated wrapper controls and shut down the automated wrapper if a sensor is triggered.
Upgrade machinery safety features.
Review machinery features to confirm that a safety stop is present on the wrapper. Safety stops reduce scenarios where workers could suffer a crushed hand or foot.
Update the automated wrapper's control panel to feature a large, visible emergency shut off button.
Optimize the automated wrapper workspace.
Remove any cords, cables, or wires present in the workspace as they create tripping hazards.
Follow a daily cleaning schedule to clear the workspace of dirt and debris that could endanger both workers and machinery.
In addition to the above best practices for automated pallet wrapper safety, forward-thinking warehouse operators are increasingly turning to durable plastic pallets with a uniform weight and size to gain efficiency benefits in the automated warehouse.
Why Plastic Pallets Increase Safety in the Automated Warehouse
Warehouse managers have found that plastic pallets are uniquely well-suited to the rigors of the automated warehouse. Listed below are a few of the ways that plastic pallets stand out as the perfect choice for the automated warehouse.
Industry-leading plastic pallets meet the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health weight standard for single worker lifting. Weighing around 50 pounds per pallet (up to 35 percent lighter than wood pallets), with thoughtfully designed features like ergonomic handles, plastic pallets are safer and easier to lift than wood pallets. Lightweight and easy to handle pallets help to decrease warehouse accidents and injuries.
Plastic pallets that provide solid top deck coverage reduce product damage that can occur during transportation. Additionally, plastic pallets eliminate splinters and protruding nails that can damage products. And unlike wood pallets, plastic pallets will not absorb liquids that lead to product contamination and pallet decay.
Consistency is key in the automated warehouse setting. Unlike wood pallets that degrade rapidly over a short lifespan, plastic pallets maintain a uniform weight and size over about 100 trips through the supply chain.
Plastic Pallets: The Perfect Fit for Automated Warehouses
Automated pallet wrappers present warehouse managers with an opportunity to increase warehouse efficiency and safety while reducing their total cost of business. By switching from wood pallets to plastic pallets, warehouse managers can ensure that these improvements achieve the greatest possible time and cost savings.
iGPS' 100% recyclable plastic pallets are designed for the rigors and the requirements of the automated warehouse. To learn more about how iGPS pallets can enhance your automated pallet wrapper's safety and efficiency, give our team a call at 1-800-884-, a specialist at , or visit our contact page.
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