Ensuring Plant Safety with Modular Guarding Systems

On a global scale, process operators place a lot of emphasis on safety, not only in terms of compliance with local and international regulations, but also to avoid any unwanted risks posed in production. Plant Safety is often the top priority for every stakeholder involved in production, however sometimes the risks are underestimated. Safety isn’t limited to preventing elements such as water, dirt or moisture from getting in. It is a much vaster term, one that incorporates every single factor that may lead to injury or damage to plant personnel or equipment respectively.

Poor Maintenance

Equipment that isn’t maintained properly is always a risk to its surroundings. Skipping regular maintenance checks on equipment can lead to more frequent problems that may turn hazardous. For instance, if exposed wires, electrical smells or burning are left untreated and exposed for a while, they are bound to injur an onsite worker.

Permanent Hazards

Even proper maintenance of certain equipment will get you so far. Sure, the plant’s personnel would be protected from fault risks but they would have to deal with the inherent nature of the equipment. For instance, chemicals, rotatory equipment or physically hot devices are a permanent hazard to workers, especially when such assets are installed within confined spaces.

Undertrained Employees

Not every single employee is trained to operate every single machinery within the plant. However, the sheer size of the installed equipment may put such employees at risk of contact. This would put them in a tight spot, especially if something breaks down; as they wouldn’t be trained to deal with the situation.

Modular Guarding System

Most injuries due to unsafe machine operations are due to the above-mentioned reasons. Some of these accidents may be minor while others may even be fatal. Not only do injuries hurt morale and makes people unproductive, it adds up the liability payments of the company.

But what if a comprehensive guarding system is put in place from the very beginning eliminating the chances of such accidents? This is where modular guarding systems fit in. Notice the word modular, as it is detrimental to ensuring its efficiency in an industrial environment. Here’s what a modular guarding system can be used for:

The modular guarding systems of today are designed with tough materials and withstand the toughest pressures of manufacturing environments. Almost every guarding system is compliant with a regulatory authority, most commonly OSHA, which ensures predictable protection within a workspace.

The word modular truly sets a guarding system aside. Industries have dynamic requirements, which may stay the same for months or change on a day to day basis. Even if the needs remain predictable, the dimensions for their equipment never matches a certain standard. This puts their workers at risk as guarding manufacturing companies usually have standard sized equipment.

The problem however, can be rectified with the use of Modular Guarding Systems. Composed of removable and alterable panels and doors, such systems are easy to install and put to use instantly.

Advantages include:

On top of this, such guarding systems do not require a team of trained professionals for installation. The procedure for installation involves connecting multiple modules together, something that can be accomplished even by a single experienced person.

A modular guarding system can therefore be installed as per the requirements of the factory, and ensure top-notch protection from all kinds of hazards, whether they’re due to the design of the machine or due to improper training. The enclosure would ensure no unwanted access is gained to sensitive machinery, preventing any mishap on both ends.

Finally, in case of a modification, the panels and doors can simply be broken down, and bolted as per the new dimensions, bringing no disruption to the production capability of the plant.

Interested in learning more about modular guarding systems?

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