Protecting employees from the hazards of automated machinery or equipment has always been a top priority in manufacturing and industrial facilities. However, these facilities also need to consider productivity and cost.
The need to guard machines and safeguard personnel in the workplace while maintaining productivity has become commonplace since the 1950s with the introduction of presence-sensing devices, including light curtains.
What are light curtains?
Light curtains are devices used to detect the presence of humans, or a human body part like an arm, in the vicinity of moving machinery that can injure or kill. Light curtains can also detect objects too close to equipment that could cause malfunction or injury to operators. These machines include winders, presses, palletizers, stretch wrappers, and turntables. Composed of infrared light beams and photosensors, light curtains are installed around dangerous equipment, restricted points of access, or areas of operation in order to protect personnel from harm.
Light curtains have a transmitter and a receiver and work with the transmitter, sending a signal to the receiver when the sensing field is crossed or interrupted. This results in the guarded machinery shutting down, guaranteeing worker safety and preventing any incidents.
While light curtains are typically used to temporarily halt machine operations, they are also used to initiate an operation by sensing when a worker is a safe distance away.
Manufacturing safety has come a long way from the days when only mechanical barriers were used to safeguard employees from hazardous machinery. Light curtains have made work easier and faster, as they do not include straps, physical barriers, or restraints that demand human intervention. Traditional barriers required the manual opening and closing of safety doors and hatches between operations, which the availability of light curtains has effectively done away with.
These photoelectric barriers have also enabled production equipment to operate at full capacity with zero to minimum delays, resulting in savings in manpower time and production speed.
Importance of safety in the manufacturing sector
Safety in the manufacturing industry is essential to avoid injuries, illnesses, and deaths.
According to a study focussing on workplace safety in the manufacturing sector, companies that have adopted safety procedures saw a reduction in costs related to injuries and insurance claims, as well as a significant increase in productivity. Increased productivity that is as a result of a safe work environment helps to boost employee morale and efficiency, improves the quality of work, and lessens absenteeism and staff turnover.
The same study suggests that manufacturing firms that invest in safety as a high priority will continue to be more productive and competitive in the market. Safety measures also equate to higher profit margins.
On the flip side, companies that relegate safety to the background run the risk of serious consequences, such as:
- accidents
- property damage
- shutdowns
- regulatory fines
- high recovery costs
- increased workers’ compensation
- insurance costs
- legal fees
- loss of productivity
- decline in product quality
- work interruptions
- high employee turnover
- loss of work time
- decline in employee morale
- damaged reputation
Multiple injuries and/or deaths also carry long-term negative impact on a company, its employees, and the employees’ family and loved ones, causing all involved parties financial, emotional, and physical stress that can last for years.
Light curtains versus traditional barriers
While the safety needs and safety systems of manufacturing companies vary according to the kinds of machinery utilised for business operations, light curtains have emerged to be one of the most common and one of the most effective safety devices companies employ.
These virtual barriers are considered a better alternative to mechanical barriers or other forms of traditional machine guards, fixed guards, and safety switches due to a number of reasons.
Light curtains can help improve production, as machine operators are no longer required to manually open and close safety hatches or mechanical guard doors during each operation. This leads to reduced stress on the part of the machine operator, a more efficient production process, and better machine productivity.
The devices give workers greater freedom and flexibility as well when loading parts. When performing routine maintenance and semi-automatic procedure that need human intervention, light curtains enable easier access to the machines.
Furthermore, light curtains are increasingly the most preferred choice over other presence-sensing devices because their design flexibility has eliminated the need to press cycle start switches or control buttons to initiate a cycle, thereby reducing employee movement.
Aside from their flexibility and productivity benefits, light curtains also provide machine workers with an unobstructed view of the parts of the machinery being guarded, allowing for optimum operator productivity.
With no geometric limitations and no moving parts, light curtains are an uncomplicated solution to otherwise intricate safety problems.
Improving employee manufacturing safety
It is critical that manufacturing firms continue to mitigate hazards and reinforce safety in the workplace, even when safety systems such as light curtains are in place. To better protect their employees, manufacturers can embark on many other safety initiatives to contribute to a safer work environment.
Companies should comprehensively train all new workers on their job roles and responsibilities. This must include safety measures related to their tasks, such as the use of proper protective gear on the production floor, handling of hazardous materials, maintaining or repairing of equipment, and lockout-tagout procedures.
Training should also extend to existing workers, updating them on the latest technology, equipment, and industry changes. Promoted employees need to be oriented to their new job responsibilities, systems, processes, and work environment.
It is the responsibility of organizations to equip their workers with the proper personal protective equipment (PPE) to keep them safe while performing their tasks. PPE includes but is not limited to footwear, headgear, clothing, and glasses. Companies should identify which PPE to use for each job, ensure employees are trained on how to use the PPE, and regularly assess, maintain, update, or replace the PPE as needed.
In a manufacturing environment, it is necessary to conduct regular inspections on all machinery for proper machine guarding to prevent accidents and to only allow employees who have deep knowledge of the machines to inspect and service them when required.
It is also vital that manufacturers implement a labelling and/or coding system for all equipment and restrict access to certain areas to lessen injuries or accidents. Only qualified personnel should be allowed to enter such restricted areas.
Accidents are inevitable, and as with other organisations in other industries, manufacturers need to dedicate specific areas as first aid stations and have a ready emergency action plan including evacuations. It is ideal if companies appoint emergency personnel and conduct regular safety training to ensure employees know who to call and how to respond properly in times of emergencies.
Bottom line
It is a fact that the manufacturing industry presents more serious hazards to employees compared with other industries, and even if a manufacturing facility is equipped with sufficient safety applications and precautions, accidents do happen.
However, initiatives such as adopting appropriate safety measures, fully understanding and implementing emergency plans, and properly training employees on the specifics of their jobs could spell the difference between disaster and business success.
Martin Thomas, European Marketing Manager at Radwell International said “Establishing and maintaining an environment where employees can work safely without endangering their lives benefits everyone. Doing so can significantly lower safety risks, avert financial disaster, increase productivity, help retain employees, lead to higher profit gains, and allow the company to compete on the global stage. And of course, protecting employees is simply the right thing to do.”
Radwell International are award-winning global suppliers of industrial automation parts and repair services. Radwell supply new, used and obsolete light curtains to protect your facility. Check out their full range of light curtains in stock here.
