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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ergonomic risk factors

How to Avoid Ergonomic Injuries in Meat Cutting and Shredding

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Workers in the meat cutting and shredding industry are at a high risk for experiencing the most common of ergonomic injuries: musculoskeletal disorders.

Most food processing companies will invest in equipment to keep workers safe from cuts associated with slicing and shredding, but tend to overlook preventing injuries that arise from awkward posture and repetitive movement tasks that can be just as debilitating.

Cuts happen in an instant and the effects are seen immediately. Musculoskeletal disorders develop over time, and can affect even the safest of workers.

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stainless steel vats

Buying Custom Stainless Steel Vats

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Stainless steel vats are a necessity in just about every food processing operation, providing storage, handling, and transportation of food product. They are an economical way to store small quantities of product and provide easy transportation with forklifts and hoists. This high level of need in the food processing industry means one thing: there are a lot of choices to consider.

Do a quick Google search for stainless steel vats, and you’ll find countless varieties, styles, and options available – everything from drains, brackets, and wheels to levels, sizes, and shapes. There are even more options when you go the custom-designed route.

With all these options, how do you choose the right vat for your manufacturing process? Consider the following standard variations to customize your vat:

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auger conveyor

6 Design Considerations You Need to Know When Purchasing an Auger Conveyor

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Purchasing an auger conveyor can be a tedious and overwhelming experience.

The nature of how product moves in an auger conveyor (sliding through a tube with a screw or auger as opposed to just sitting on a belt) requires the manufacturer to know a lot of detailed information about the product being conveyed and where it’s being conveyed — information that most customers aren’t aware of or don’t have prepared up front.

While most manufacturers try to make this process as painless as possible, there is no getting around the need for some information in order to design an auger conveyor that will efficiently move your product.
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stainless steel finishes

The Best 5 Stainless Steel Finishes in Food Processing

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Stainless steel finishes are an important aspect in sanitary food processing equipment, as finishing options alter more than just the appearance of the metal.

A variety of methods are used to achieve stainless steel finishes — hot and cold rolling, grinding with abrasives, buffing with cloth wheels, tumbling, dry etching, sandblasting, acid solutions, bead blasting, and more — each one affecting the surface smoothness in varying degrees.

According to the International Association for Food Protection, surface roughness has been generally related to cleanability of stainless steel, with smoother surfaces often considered more cleanable.

In a sanitary application, such as food processing, stainless steel needs a smooth, scratch-free, and non-corrosive finish to prevent the harboring and growth of bacteria.

Know the Terms

In choosing the type of finish needed for your application, it is important to understand the terms and definitions used for stainless steel finishes.

Surface Texture
The surface of the material including irregularities and deviations, including roughness and grain.

Grit
Grit is defined as the size of the abrasive used in the polishing process. Typically coarse, lower grit numbers are associated with grinding and higher grit numbers are associated with polishing. Grit size however does not fully define the surface.

RA (Roughness Average)
A standard for an average of the peaks and valleys of the metal’s surface, measured in microinches or micrometers. A profilometer is used to determine RA values.

RMS (Root Mean Square)
A machining standard used to diagnose machine operations and surface finish.

Stainless Steel Finishes for Food Processing

When it comes to applying stainless steel finishes in the food processing industry, we have found customers prefer these five finishes the most.

Mill Finish2B FinishNo. 4 FinishNo. 4A FinishBead Blast
2bfinish
DescriptionUnfinished steel in basic supply condition.Achieved by cold-rolling, heat-treating, and pickling. A final light rolling pass gives the surface a smooth, reflective gray sheen. It is the standard finish for 304, 304L, and 316 stainless steel.Consistent straight grain finish. It is produced by polishing with a 180-240 grit belt.Fine polishing grit lines that are uniform and directional in appearance. It is produced by polishing with a 180-240 grit belt.Uniform, non-directional, low-reflective surfaces that contrast well with high polished finishes. It is accomplished by applying fine glass beads at a high pressure without damaging the surface.
ApplicationsStructuralMaterial handling, processing, direct food contactClean rooms, food processing equipmentClean rooms, food processing equipment, Pharmaceutical, 3A Dairy StandardsStructural, material handling, food handling
Sanitation EnvironmentNot used in food contact areasSuitable for sanitary wash down proceduresSuitable for sanitary wash down proceduresSuitable for sanitary wash down proceduresSuitable for sanitary wash down procedures
RA>10036 (7 gauge) 15 (16 gauge)29-4018-3145

*The images in this post are a portrayal of the finish and are not completely accurate representations. Screen resolution, picture size, and photo quality all affect the look of the finish in the picture.

The Best Finish

Stainless steel resists corrosion, maintain strength at high temperatures, and is easily maintained — making it ideal for the food processing and pharmaceutical industries. Top it off with one of the 4 finishes above (not mill, unless the application is only structural in a non-food area!) and you’ll have an easy to clean surface that keeps your food product safe.

custom platform

10 Important Advantages of a Custom Platform

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When it comes to expanding your manufacturing work space, a custom platform is a quick, easy, and relatively inexpensive solution. Utilizing the space above your current processing line can save you thousands, if not millions, in expansion costs.

But what type of overhead platform should you purchase?

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staircase safety

How to Improve Staircase Safety

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Staircases pose a serious safety risk to workers throughout the country.

OSHA estimates that there are roughly 24,882 injuries and as many as 36 fatalities per year due to falls from staircases and ladders. Nearly half of these injuries are serious enough to require time off the job — 11,570 lost workday injuries are reported annually.1

The high number of workplace injuries surrounding staircases should capture the attention of facility and safety managers in every food processing plant. Something as simple as workers walking up and down stairs can cost companies thousands in employee injury payouts. Read more

overhead platform

Overhead Platform Safety Tips

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Falls are among the most common causes of serious work-related injuries and deaths – and incorporating an overhead platform into your processing plant increases the possibility of employees being injured by a fall, especially when the proper measures haven’t been taken to ensure employee safety.

When purchasing a mezzanine or other overhead platform into your processing plant, safety should be key. A few simple adjustments made during the design of your mezzanine can provide a number of safety benefits to your employees – and save you thousands in employee injury claims.
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purchasing a mezzanine

4 Factors You Need to Consider When Purchasing a Mezzanine

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When purchasing a mezzanine or structural platform to expand your processing space, there are a number of factors to consider — many of which deal with the structural capacity of your plant.

While purchasing a mezzanine is a cost-effective way to expand your operations and storage space, the extra load on your floor slap and placement of the support columns are crucial factors when purchasing and installing a structural mezzanine.
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