A safe work environment should be the most basic requirement of any business. Whereas poor safety practices can lead to accidents and injuries, enhancing safety measures helps prevent employees from getting hurt. When it comes to manufacturers and other companies, focusing on equipment safety is critical.
Potential costs incurred as a result of worker’s compensation, not to mention the cost of hiring temporary or permanent workers to replace any employees out of work due to injury or illness, can cause irrefutable damages. Some businesses may never recover after a preventable incident, forcing them to close their doors. When companies prioritize equipment safety, the following happens:
- Equipment is more likely to run smoothly
- Employees are less likely to injure themselves
- Loss of work time is minimized
- Productivity levels increase
- Risk of incurring noncompliance penalties is reduced
Effective safety training includes planning, scheduling, recording and tracking maintenance tasks. Equipment that is regularly inspected and maintained is more likely to remain safe and reduce the risk of injury. The most effective way to schedule routine inspections and other activities is to utilize computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS) or enterprise asset management (EAM) software.
There are many ways in which CMMS improves safety. Maintenance management software can organize, simplify and automate a number of processes that would otherwise be open to human error. When you think of all the maintenance activities that are typically involved in keeping equipment and facilities running in peak operating condition, what kinds of things come to mind? Perhaps it’s inspecting belts and oil bearings, or checking and replacing fluids. There are countless different tests, measurements, adjustments, upkeep/cleaning, repairs and more to consider. CMMS/EAM software alerts users when tasks are due and notifies technicians to complete these activities.
Maintenance management software can also establish safety priority levels for equipment. Each asset can be rated based on its overall role in the production process, amount of preventive maintenance required, or even the degree of danger it exposes to workers. CMMS/EAM software provides the ability to track all maintenance information and full equipment history, such as:
- Standard operating procedures
- List of spare parts and tools required
- Craft or special skills required to perform the tasks
- Estimated time to complete tasks
- Readings like temperature, etc.
- Manufacturers guidelines and recalls
- Equipment shutdown or lock out/tag out steps
- Priority codes based on criticality
- Dates when equipment was repaired
- Names of technicians who completed repairs
- Frequency of inspections
By keeping detailed records, companies are protecting themselves in the event of random inspections by regulatory agencies. For example, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) enforces standards to ensure safe and healthy working conditions. OSHA professionals perform site visits and audits, random at times, and may request specific documentation on assets. Maintenance management software helps companies meet OSHA requirements.
If OSHA auditors pay an unexpected visit, maintenance managers can use a CMMS to generate timely reports sorted by maintenance technician, asset, safety standard, etc. CMMS software provides the backup documentation required to prove to an OSHA auditor that a safety task was performed on schedule and any incidents that may have occurred were not due to negligence. A CMMS program also gives users quick access to incident data logs and generates reports showing which safety-related tasks were completed over time and what steps have been taken to prevent future injuries. CMMS/EAM software demonstrates compliance and helps reduce the risk of any potential penalties and fines.
There are countless other benefits of employing a CMMS/EAM software solution. To learn more about products and services, contact DPSI today or sign up for a free demonstration of our industry-leading maintenance management software.
