The Dangers of Working with Inexperienced Conveyor Maintenance Professionals

July 15, 2022 12:00 am Published by Leave your thoughts

When working with industrial conveyor systems, there is really no such thing as being too safe. Conveyor systems present many different types of hazards, and it is imperative that safety practices are followed precisely. Not only do you need your team on board with safety practices on a day-to-day basis, but you also need all conveyor maintenance workers on board as well. Let’s look at some of the dangers of working with inexperienced conveyor maintenance.

Lack of Familiarity With the System

Bringing in maintenance personnel that are not entirely familiar with the system could produce problems. Just because a maintenance person has worked on a conveyor system does not mean they know the intricacies of your particular system. It is always safest to use maintenance teams that are trained in working on the system you are operating.

General Unsafe Behavior

You should watch out for any type of generally unsafe behavior. This might include a person working too closely to the conveyor while it is operating or attempting to dodge objects, rather than turning the system off properly.

A safe maintenance employee will never risk interaction with a pinch point on a conveyor system. They will never perform maintenance unless the system is locked out, tagged out, and blocked out.

Unsafe Clothing

When you are dealing with a conveyor system, even your clothing can be a safety hazard. The following is a list of clothing and accessories that are unsafe to wear when performing maintenance on a conveyor system.

  • Open-toed shoes. Most industrial sites do not allow these types of shoes for many reasons, but they are also not acceptable when working with a conveyor system.
  • Shorts and loose-sleeved shirts. Shorts will not provide adequate protection for the legs from debris that could fly off of a system. Loose-sleeved shirts can become entangled in the conveyor components.
  • Hoodies. Drawstrings on hoodies are a danger.
  • Inadequate eye protection.
  • Soft hats.
  • Lanyards.
  • Rings or jewelry.

Why Unsafe Practices Take Place

There are many contributing factors to unsafe practices. Let’s look at a few to help you better understand how to avoid them.

  • Time pressure. When time pressure is put upon an employee, they may attempt unsafe practices to speed up the process.
  • Company culture. Sometimes safety is just not taken seriously at a particular company. If new recruits see existing employees performing in an unsafe manner, they will interpret this to be acceptable and the practices will continue.

How To Handle Unsafe Maintenance Professionals

If you find that the maintenance professionals assigned to your system are unsafe, it is imperative that you intervene. You should observe these individuals to ensure they are avoiding the safety pitfalls mentioned here.

The best way to avoid this problem in the first place is always to work with a reliable maintenance team that has been specifically trained to work with your conveyor system. These professionals will be able to keep your systems running smoothly and safely.

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