It’s a new decade (depending on whether you believe the decade begins with year zero or year 1), but manufacturing safety challenges keep expanding: digital transformation, fewer available workers, globalization, and how to manage safety and security risks among them.
We’re living in an era where technology is rapidly changing the safety landscape. We have access to more information than ever before, yet obtaining that information poses new risks. And, how we use this new information to understand why and where safety shutdowns occur and to improve safety and productivity substantially changes the way we operate.
An evolving workforce, with younger, less experienced workers, that often views risk differently, uses information differently, and has different expectations of their work environment than previous generations, pose new challenges to find, train and retain.
Consider, then, these 10 tips to help you meet these challenges and see immediate improvements in safety and productivity.
1. Focus on Improving Safety Maturity
Safety maturity is a combination of culture (behavior), compliance (policies and procedures) and use of capital (technologies). Repeated studies show the top 20% of manufacturers achieve 5% to 7% higher OEE, 2% to 4% less unscheduled downtime, and less than half the injury rate of average performers—and the top performers are extending their lead.
Best-in-class performers view safety as a key element in their pursuit of operational excellence. And they use contemporary safety methodologies to help achieve it. For example, an LNS Research survey found 75% of industrial companies said they have seen operational improvements resulting from the use of advanced safety technology. This explains why these companies have also stated that they’re willing to pay for more connected, smarter and safer machines.
Safety maturity is evolution more than revolution. It’s progress in improving safety culture, procedures and processes, and use of technology to achieve higher productivity and safety. It’s recognizing that safety and productivity are not mutually exclusive, but complementary – and taking steps that improve both.
So how do you improve safety maturity? Begin by assessing your own safety maturity and find where improvements are needed to improve your goals. Understanding your performance level and areas for improvement is critical to optimizing safety.
Source: EHS Today