PROCESS EQUIPMENT UPDATE
The opportunity that
automation equipment offers to reduce injuries should not be ignored
MAKING THE SWITCH T
Jessica Stank details the benefits food and animal feed industries can achieve by moving from manual to automated equipment
he costs of keeping workers safe in manufacturing environments is high and will likely continue to rise as the need for PPE and
appropriate workplace distancing continues. In these situations, process automation equipment not only presents an opportunity to reduce costs and improve efficiency, but also reduce the human related costs such as human error, workplace injuries and illness. Giving repetitive, dangerous, close-
proximity work over to machines has multiple benefits to your workers and your bottom line. Let’s dive in to five of the benefits of automation equipment for the food processing industry and animal feed industry.
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REDUCED DIRECT LABOUR COSTS Reduced labour costs are one of the first benefits of equipment automation that comes to mind. With the jobs of three or more workers completed by a machine, the costs of wages must be balanced against the costs of initial investment, upkeep and maintenance. With a proper maintenance schedule, a machine can continue operating effectively for many years for a fraction of the cost of three employees.
REDUCED INJURIES Looking at work-related injuries, manufacturing is one of the most dangerous industries, second only to social assistance occupations, such as emergency
response. Research shows automation can reduce three out of the five leading causes of workplace injuries, including contact with harmful objects, heavy lifting, and repetitive stress injuries. In total, robots and automation equipment have the potential to reduce workplace manufacturing injuries by up to 72%. In pet food and animal feed, there
are ingredients that can be an issue, due to problems stemming from prolonged exposure. By having a machine do weighments instead of an employee with a scoop and a scale, the risk of exposure to these types of substances is greatly decreased, which means a safer working environment for those on the floor.
MORE ACCURATE RECORD- KEEPING
While a person can easily mismark a sheet or push the wrong button, a control system that is installed and set up properly will always perform the task as directed. Tis is especially helpful when detailed record-keeping is mandatory, such as tracking required by FSMA and other regulations.
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