The UK’s manufacturing industry is doing incredibly well at present; industrial and manufacturing companies are growing quickly and the sector as a whole has moved from 10th to 9th in the rankings of global producers for 2016/17.
But, without the right policies and resources in place, factories can be dangerous places. Here are our four top tips for ensuring your factory remains safe.
Process Control
Processes exist to keep people safe. In an industrial environment, this means they need to be comprehensive, clear and workable. You should have processes in place that control every aspect of your production line – from the very beginning to the very end. In today’s world, electronic technology exists to ensure that processes are being followed correctly at every step. If something goes wrong, the system (or a section of the system) will shut down to ensure damage to products is minimised and everyone stays safe.
Health and Safety Training
Good training is essential for every organisation’s success. There’s no point creating great safety and security processes if your staff don’t understand them or take them seriously. The best way to get your staff on-board is through proper health and safety training. Educate your workforce about the processes you have put place, show them why the exist as well as how they help keep them safe. Whether you choose to get external trainers in or create an internal training program, good training will help your factory run more safely and effectively.
Environmental Considerations
You need to ask yourself what environmental risks your factory poses. It could be high emissions, the presence of dangerous chemicals, or the possibility for oil or dangerous waste products spillages. Whatever they are, you need to consider how your factory affects the local area and what you can do to minimise any negative impacts. To get to grips with your environmental impact, get a qualified environmental auditor to assess your site. This will help you see what you could be doing better and give you recommendations for how to improve.
Factory and Industrial Security
Industrial site security is especially important to prevent crimes such as vandalism and robbery. A comprehensive industrial security solution takes into account any risks that your premises faces, puts in place the necessary safeguards and provides guidance for what to do if a security issue arises. Your security plan should cover and provision for the following aspects of your premises:
• Signage, landscape and building design
• Fences, gates, doors and windows
• Lighting and power
• Information and computing technology
• Alarms and surveillance equipment
• Cash handling
• Car parks
• Staff security
Secure On Site Security is a trusted provider of expert factory and industrial security solutions. Our industrial security guards and industrial security officers are all expertly trained and SIA-licensed. We are in the top percentage of ACS accredited security providers and have extensive experience in the provision of factory and industrial security.
