To ensure a safe working environment and quality products, manufacturers are held to certain safety compliance standards. These may also extend to environmental concerns to make manufacturing processes more eco-friendly. At American Manufacturing, we care about keeping our employees safe and going the extra mile to ensure streamlined operations that save our customers valuable time and money.

Here’s an inside look at how we incorporate safety into every aspect of the American Manufacturing workplace and some of the innovations in manufacturing safety that we’re excited about.

Safety Compliance at American Manufacturing

We care about keeping our workplace as safe as possible, as this also contributes to employee satisfaction and efficiency. Here are some of the key safety compliance procedures we have in various departments at American Manufacturing:

Fire Safety

The welding process in particular can involve some fire risk, which is why we recently replaced thousands of fire suppression hoods throughout the facility. All of our welders are equipped with fire safety gear, which includes specialty welding jackets and gloves, helmets, and steel-toed workboots. By running monthly inspections on all fire safety equipment, we ensure any risk factors are identified before a dangerous situation can occur.

In-house Painting

Since we do all of our painting in-house, we are required to have certain permits for handling and spraying paint. All of the paint we use is non-hazardous, being exclusively water-based, but we still require all painters to wear full-face masks and respirators while in the paint department. They also undergo yearly respiratory physicals to make sure they are in good enough health to wear a respirator during their shift.

To dispose of any excess paints, we follow a hazardous waste disposal process by sending them to a specialty hazardous materials company. This company hauls away the paint, tests it, and then crushes the water out of it before disposing of the solid paint matter safely.

Recirculating Heaters

To keep the air inside and outside of our manufacturing facilities clean, we have upgraded recirculating heaters on the roof above the weld aisle which filters soot and smoke while it heats the air to eliminate impurities before cycling the clean, safe air back into the plant. This sustainable practice keeps the air healthy for our employees and for the environment!

Electronic Safety Checklists

We’ve detailed quality control procedures in the past, including checklist inspections to ensure our customers only receive the best products. We use the same process for safety inspections, creating a routine of filling out electronic safety checklists for equipment like forklifts that should be checked for safe operation before use.

Training and Certification

All of our employees are also required to attend GHS Training for Hazard Communication which teaches them how to safely handle hazardous materials they may use or encounter in the workplace.

We also have everyone who operates on or around a forklift undergo forklift certification and training regularly. This includes retesting and recertifying employees who have been around forklifts for decades!

Innovations in Manufacturing Safety

It’s always exciting to see how technology and innovation is changing the way we look at manufacturing, and safety compliance is not exempt from this transformation! From better, safer warehouse vehicles to automations and safety equipment, there is always something new making the manufacturing world a safer place.

Replacing Ladders with Work-Assist Vehicles (WAV)

Ladders always involve some level of fall risk, but they are quickly being replaced in manufacturing facilities with unique lifting equipment known as Work-Assist Vehicles. These mobile lifts can raise a worker up to 13 feet in the air, giving them a much safer way to reach high shelves than using a ladder.

Automation

Automation inherently enhances safety in manufacturing by reducing the physical strain on workers and decreasing the occurrence of workplace injuries. One of our favorite new automations in welding is cobots, who take on some of the heavy-lifting to make our welders’ jobs safer.

Forklift Alert Systems

Forklifts are pretty loud, but so are manufacturing plants! All of our forklifts have forward-facing and rear-facing blue lights that extend about six feet in front of and behind the machine to alert nearby workers of its presence.

How Safety Compliance SAVES Money

Some companies are wary of prioritizing safety compliance because of the costs associated with replacing equipment and following safety guidelines. But compliance can actually save manufacturers a lot of money! From state grants like those we have in Ohio to lower worker’s comp rates and dividends for ongoing safety, the best quality manufacturing makes safety a top priority.

A safe work environment is also a more productive work environment! If an employee is injured in the workplace, you’ll lose both time and money as they recover. If you have safety checks to make sure injuries never happen in the first place, you won’t have to worry about these dangerous interruptions.

Our Savings Are Your Savings

When we invest in quality safety measures, we are investing in our employees and in our products! American Manufacturing customers appreciate the savings they get by partnering with us, and we wouldn’t be able to offer such competitive products and services without the intentional focus on safety. Contact us to learn more!