Automated technology has come a long way since the start of the 18th century. Today, automated technology encompasses a wide range of functions, from communications to performance tasks. Automation involves little to no human input and plays a key role in keeping employees safe. As an employer, it’s crucial to keep your team safe, and using automated technology is one of the best ways to do so! Here are 5 ways automation can help keep your employees safe from harm.
1. Reduce Physical Injuries From Lifting
Automated technology involves everything from robots putting together cars to welding, moving boxes and shipping containers, and so much more. With coding and automation becoming more and more advanced, there are dozens of ways employers can explore this type of technology and integrate it into their supply chain.
Using automated technology to perform these rigorous and physically daunting tasks can help prevent employee accidents. Instead of your employees straining to lift heavy machinery, you can simply have an employee control a robot that does the heavy lifting (literally). Preventing physical accidents can also help reduce costs in terms of possible lawsuit payouts and insurance costs for businesses, which is yet another win!
2. Reduce Fatigue
Another way automated technology can help keep employees safe is by reducing fatigue. Automated systems can easily perform monotonous and repetitive tasks, such as packing or counting and sifting. Not only are these tasks time-consuming, but they can also increase fatigue in workers. Prevent accidents by allowing your employees to focus on more important tasks to grow your business, and leave the busy (and boring) work to technology.
3. Comply With Safety Checks
It’s always a good idea to use safety checks, whether that’s ensuring electricity is off, testing fabricated parts and components, or following strict protocols. Unfortunately, human error is unavoidable, and not all employees will abide by safety checks. Not complying with these safety checks can lead to various accidents, from electrocution to crush injuries. Automated technology can incorporate safety checks, therefore improving quality assurance and decreasing the risk of injury.
4. Provide Real-Time Status Updates
Status updates are essential for ensuring equipment is operating correctly. These updates are also key in helping employees and employers know if there are any safety issues present. For instance, if gas or chemical levels are on the rise, temperatures are too hot or cold, or conditions are otherwise dangerous, all of these can be detected through automated technology. The faster these status updates are shared with employees, the quicker they can get to safety and prevent disastrous accidents, all without the need for a human to stand by and conduct quality assurance checks.
5. Track Employee Movements
Keeping track of employees might seem like micromanaging. On the contrary, knowing where employees are can help save lives. For instance, if a fire were to suddenly break out, or if there was any other disaster, knowing where employees are in your building or warehouse can help first responders reach them quickly. One of the easiest ways to keep track of employees is through automated technology. Instead of having a supervisor muster employees or having security track and log employees’ whereabouts, they can simply scan badges to enter different rooms or have another system to detect movements. Automation is highly flexible, and a system can be designed for your specific business.
