Security is paramount in a manufacturing facility. Everybody desires their crew members to be wholesome and obtainable to carry out their jobs. Accidents are probably the most undesirable end result, sometimes falling into two classes: instant and progressive.
Rapid accidents, resembling a minimize, burn, or damaged bone, require immediate medical therapy. Manufacturing services have private protecting tools (PPE) and security protocols to forestall these accidents. Alternatively, progressive accidents construct up over time and could also be more durable to mitigate. A few of these progressive accidents embrace listening to loss, respiratory points, and musculoskeletal problems (MSDs).
This weblog article will focus on pallet stacking security and the way this guide activity will increase the dangers of musculoskeletal problems. We’ll introduce 5 vital details and concentrate on security inside three key industries: Meals & Beverage, Pharmaceutical, and Shopper Items Manufacturing.
Truth 1: The UK misplaced 149.3 million working days to MSDs in 2021 [1]
What are Musculoskeletal problems (MSDs)?
MSDs are a gaggle of circumstances that have an effect on the muscle mass, tendons, ligaments, nerves, and different smooth tissues of the physique. Repetitive motions, awkward postures, extended static positions, overexertion, and forceful exertions may cause MSDs.
How palletizing methods scale back MSDs in meals & beverage tertiary packaging
Truth 2: The incidence price for MSDs in america was 25.4 days per 10,000 full-time equal (FTE) employees in 2020 [2]
Working in meals manufacturing poses hazards. Whereas the business has seen some profitable automation, meals and beverage manufacturing encompasses a remarkably numerous array of merchandise that make it difficult to automate totally. Meals and beverage manufacturing consists of 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 (resembling drinks and powders) might be cumbersome. Different merchandise (resembling liquids) could shift with motion, making it extra harmful for an individual to raise above their head or transfer beneath their waist. Relating to palletizing merchandise, choosing and inserting require two key actions: again and shoulder flexion.
What’s flexion motion?
Flexion is the bending, twisting, or curving of a physique half.
Flexion is the closing of a joint (i.e., reducing the angle of an elbow), which is the precise reverse of extension (i.e., rising the joint angle of the elbow).
Shoulder flexion is transferring arms from their resting place together with the physique to above the top.
Flexion of the again is bending ahead.
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 College of Buffalo) or excessive again flexion (>60° per Division of Kinesiology on the College of Waterloo). The guide palletizing of meals or liquids exposes individuals to each. Those that have skilled again ache know that restoration can take a very long time.
Truth 3: Injured employees within the US wanted a median of 14 days earlier than returning to work [2]
Nevertheless, introducing collaborative robotic (cobot) methods in palletizing operations affords a promising resolution. By assuming the bodily and repetitive pressure of inserting 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 will 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 decreasing the incidence of MSDs.
Pallet stacking security in pharmaceutical manufacturing
Like meals and beverage manufacturing, pharmaceutical manufacturing encompasses a variety of merchandise. It consists of merchandise resembling:
Strong drugs: These embrace tablets, capsules, caplets, and tablets, typically in blister packs, bottles, or jars.
Liquid medicals: Pharmaceutical liquids resembling 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 embrace merchandise like antibiotics, dietary and protein powders, or granules for oral administration.
Injectables: Injectable drugs, remedies, and vaccines are available in vials, ampoules, or prefilled syringes. These require particular packaging and dealing with as a result of their route of administration.
Topical remedies: This class consists of lotions, ointments, gels, lotions, and patches. These are packaged in tubes, jars, or sachets.
Disposable sterile merchandise: Intravenous (IV) luggage, 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 kinds however don’t require a prescription. These embrace ache relievers, cough syrups, antacids, and allergy drugs.
Given the various vary of pharmaceutical merchandise, packaging can differ considerably in dimension, form, and weight. Some merchandise are heavy which poses a danger to employees manually inserting them on pallets.
Truth 4: 15-20% of misplaced working days within the UK had been as a result of MSDs in 2021 [1]
Moreover, automated palletizing methods play a significant function in defending the product being palletized. Given their typically 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 decreasing the danger of unintentional harm. By implementing automated palletizing methods, pharmaceutical producers cannot solely improve employee security but in addition safeguard product high quality and integrity, in the end contributing to operational effectivity and regulatory compliance.
Decreasing materials dealing with dangers in shopper items manufacturing
In shopper items manufacturing, the manufacturing atmosphere is dynamic, with a variety of merchandise being processed and packaged. Shopper items embody varied objects, 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
Handbook palletizing in shopper items manufacturing poses extra security dangers to employees. Merchandise tower on pallets, requiring workers to position merchandise each beneath and above waist stage. This observe will increase the chance of musculoskeletal accidents, notably when coping with heavy or cumbersome objects. Lifting, climbing, pushing, pulling, and pivoting are the first actions in guide materials dealing with (MMH) actions, which create a danger of damage on the again and shoulder.
Truth 5: MSDs are accountable for about $50 billion in annual prices within the US [3]
Automated palletizing methods provide an answer to those challenges by decreasing reliance on guide labor and minimizing the related danger to individuals. By automating the palletizing course of, these methods alleviate the bodily pressure on employees and create a safer working atmosphere. They will deal with all kinds of shopper merchandise effectively and precisely, making certain correct stacking and palletization with out the danger of human error.
Conclusion
Offering individuals with a protected working atmosphere is a high precedence for meals & beverage, pharmaceutical, and shopper product producers. Accidents, whether or not instant or progressive, pose important dangers to employees and may result in substantial lack of working days and productiveness. Musculoskeletal problems (MSDs) are among the many progressive accidents that may consequence from guide duties like pallet stacking, notably prevalent within the manufacturing of Meals & Beverage, Pharmaceutical, and Shopper Items.
By means of the dialogue of 5 essential details, it turns into evident that bodily pressure, together with repetitive motions, awkward postures, and overexertion, considerably will increase the danger of MSDs. Nevertheless, the mixing of automation (resembling collaborative robotic methods) affords a promising resolution to mitigate these dangers. Cobots can deal with the bodily pressure of palletizing duties, decreasing the chance of MSDs, rising pallet stacking security, and enhancing total office security.
Total, by embracing automation in palletizing operations, industries can create safer working environments, shield employee well being, and enhance operational effectivity, in the end resulting in larger productiveness and success.
The longer term is protected
At Robotiq, we observe the rules 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 guide palletizing to automated palletizing.
Implementation is simpler than you assume. Discuss with one in all our automation specialists in the present day to kickstart your challenge. (Your individuals will thanks).
In case you are able to make the transfer to automating your end-of-line course of, our FREE Automated Palletizing Purchaser’s Information offers you insider recommendations on discovering the most effective automated palletizing resolution for your small business.