Keeping Staff Safe in Dangerous Manufacturing Environments

Workplace safety continues to be a concern in manufacturing environments. Large, dispersed spaces with hard concrete floors, dangerous heavy machinery, and a high volume of workers in loud environments lead to risks that not every industry will face. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2021, over 400,000 total injuries and illnesses were reported in manufacturing. Causes of these injuries include slipping, falling, equipment failure or operator misuse, overexertion injuries, and repetitive motion injuries. So how do you keep manufacturing staff safe?

And unfortunately, these deskless workers tend to be the most overlooked when it comes to being equipped with communications solutions out on the floor – many of which could actually help keep them safe on the job. Manufacturing and warehousing environments typically rely on overhead paging or Walkie Talkies for communication; not all employees are even equipped with those basics. This means that in the event of an emergency, valuable time could be wasted summoning help by having to travel to a phone station to make a call. With an enterprise mobility in hand, help could be summoned quickly.

Additionally, there are some manufacturing employees who might find themselves in lone worker situations where there may not be help immediately around them in the event of an emergency. Not only do enterprise mobility solutions allow these employees to call for help in the traditional way with a phone call, but many also have built-in employee safety features. For example, devices like the Spectralink Versity smartphone or DECT handsets can help detect falls, sudden running, sudden stops in motion, and more. And help can be summoned quickly with one press of a red button located at the top.

Another aspect of employee safety is education. With a smart device, employees are able to watch safety videos or access safety information from anywhere on the job. And, they can easily ask a question of supervisors on the device instead of having to leave their station, ensuring that information regarding the safe and proper use of equipment is always within reach. Continued training of employees on safety procedures, equipment operation, and emergency response solutions can also help prevent injuries on the job.

Finally, the manufacturing industry is undergoing a technology revolution of sorts, with a turn to automated and digitized equipment. This industry is experiencing a shift to cloud-based technologies and what is being referred to as the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) to transform operations. While there will certainly still be a need for manufacturing workers, the digital revolution means that workers can be removed from the immediate risks of some of the dangerous equipment, helping to eliminate some level of personal safety risk on the job. However, the workers responsible for running and maintaining this new equipment must understand smart – and often mobile – technology to do their jobs. Being equipped with enterprise mobility tools could potentially assist with this process, allowing these workers to operate without being tied to desks and workstations.

In summary, equipping manufacturing workers with enterprise mobility solutions can help mitigate risks in the workplace, whether in a traditional manufacturing environment or one embracing more of a digital environment.