ergonomics

Ergonomics in Food Packaging

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Most bagging and packaging operations require employees to stand in a single location and perform repetitive movements all day. Some require heavy lifting or awkward postures to get the final product into its proper packaging – not the most ergonomically sound practices.

While there is no way around requiring your employees to be at a singular packaging station all day, there are a number of ways to reduce the stress, awkward posturing, and heavy lifting that could easily lead to employee injuries.

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packaging equipment

Packaging Equipment to Fit Your Needs

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Many food packaging equipment manufacturers specialize in stock equipment – they design a few models, offer a handful of options, and sell the same solution to every processing and packaging plant they can. It’s a great method of selling equipment – for them. They pump out a few hundred of the same pieces of equipment and sell it as the solution to your needs.

Sure, there are some benefits to purchasing stock equipment. You can see pictures of the equipment on their website, know the exact specifications before you contact them, and have a relatively short wait time before the equipment comes.

But what if your packaging needs aren’t met by their one-solution-fits-all approach? What if you require something more robust and durable? What are you supposed to do about all the supporting equipment to get your food product to their piece of equipment?

Stock equipment isn’t always the route to go.

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shelf life

Food Packaging Shelf Life

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Food packaging has a number of uses – from guarding against contamination to sealing in freshness and increasing the shelf life of many food products. The shelf life of any given product ranges from several days to indefinitely, depending on the type of food and type of packaging used. It may not always be easy to determine the shelf life of a food product just by looking at its packaging, so we’ve put together a table explaining the different types of food packaging and their expected shelf lives.

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bagging

Bagging More Than Just Food

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Bagging stations are fairly common in the food packaging industry. Everything from poultry to meat to breads to snacks come packaged in some kind of bag – making companies in the food processing and packing industry some of the biggest buyers of bagging stations.

But these stations aren’t limited to just the food processing industry. There are a number of uses for custom designed bagging stations in other industries as well.
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meat myths

Debunking Meat Myths

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There are a lot of myths when it comes to meat – especially in the way consumers view the meat processing and packing industry. Hormone injections, health and safety inspection frequencies, the safety of eating processing meat, livestock affects on the environment, and the cost of meat are just a few areas where conjecture, fear, and scare-tactics have caused meat myths to arise.

It can often be difficult for the consumer to determine meat myths from truth, especially when said myths are highlighted in the news and on websites across the world. So how do you accurately debunk meat myths and learn the truth?

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wiu rocky wagon

Rocky’s New Wagon

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Every mascot deserves their own pimped out wagon – and that’s just what we gave Western Illinois University’s mascot Rocky!

WIU approached our team with a pretty custom project: design and build Rocky a mobile dog house that could be used in parades and other big events. It had to provide their mascot with all the creature comforts while being durable enough to last for years. Not only is the house sturdy, it comes complete with a built in air conditioning unit and a dog house must: a personal fire hydrant.

Check out Rocky’s new digs and let us know what you think!

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meat cutting sanitation

Meat Cutting Sanitation Tips

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Proper cleaning is important in your meat cutting sanitation efforts. Not only are there numerous federal, state, and industry regulations on proper sanitation which need to be followed, but regular cleaning of equipment also prolongs the life of your equipment and reduces product contamination.

According to Alabama A&M and Auburn Universities, a seven-step process is commonly used in proper meat cutting sanitation facilities, including1:

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saw safety

Industrial Saw Safety Rules

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Incorporating industrial saws into your processing operation may be necessary, but poses a safety threat to your employees. Improper setup and usage of saws can result in the loss of body parts and even death of an employee. However, properly installing your saw and following the saw safety rules mentioned below will not only protect your employees, but make your saw safe for everyone around.

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prevent ergonomic injuries

Prevent Ergonomic Injuries

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A good number of injuries incurred in a food processing plant are the result of poor ergonomics. Awkward postures, heavy lifting, repetitive movements, hard concrete flooring, overstretching due to equipment being too tall or too short – all are factors that play into employee injuries.

The good news is that injuries resulting from poor ergonomics are preventable. A small investment in employee training and ergonomic equipment can not only prevent employee injuries, but save you a lot of money in the process.

We’ve put together a simple chart to help you discover the best ways to prevent the most common ergonomic injuries:

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safe knife handling

Safe Knife Handling Practices

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Knives are often a part of any cutting operation line and can pose a safety risk to your employees if not handled correctly. While most sawing equipment comes with safety guards and kill switches, hand-held knives aren’t equipped with that luxury, and the safety of your employee comes down to knowing proper safe knife handling practices.
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