Article Sphere Logo
 

Top Causes of Accidents in Factories

By Expert Author: Amelia Stenson | Article Abstract
Word Count: 400 words | Views: 22 view(s)
Although there is little concrete data relating to accidents in South African factories, the government has recently estimated that accidents in the work place cost the nation an incredible R18 billion per annum!

Sanitary maintenance of heavy machinery can become a killer
Clearly the single-most dangerous element in any factory, be it food processing or the manufacture of furniture, is the use and subsequent cleaning of heavy machinery. Circular saws, lifting apparatus, engines, power transmission and even conveyor belts can be lethal, both during operation and whilst undergoing the daily spring clean.

This dangerous and often life-threatening anomaly attached to factory hygiene has become a major headache for the departments of labour in most countries in the world; so much so that studies have been conducted on how to improve the efficacy of cleaning without accelerating the incidence of accidents.

Workers cleaning by hand are even more vulnerable
One of the major causes of accidents in factories is the outdated trend of cleaning by hand, a trend that is no longer necessary considering the great leaps that have been made in the industrial cleaning sector. In fact, using rags or brushes can exacerbate the vulnerability of the factory worker by becoming stuck or entangled with the inner workings of the heavy machinery.

Part of the problem is factory bosses opting for the perceived cheaper manual alternative in an effort to boost their profit margins; a choice that can prove deadly to both the worker and the company’s bank balance as they could be held liable for all costs relating to the accident should negligence be proven.

There is no ‘cheaper’ and safer alternative than industrial cleaning
In the era of industrial cleaning equipment where high-pressure steam cleaners and high-power vacuum cleaners can do the job a lot more effectively by reaching areas of grime and dirt impossible to reach by hand, it seems incredible that factory owners and management staff do not subscribe to these innovative, cost effective and efficient cleaning solutions that will protect their hapless workers.

Accidents also occur on a regular basis when hot or toxic materials or liquids used in the manufacturing process spill or splash on the worker. An easy and relatively cheap solution to this dilemma is to ensure each worker is adequately protected by suitable gloves, overalls, boots, protective eye gear and even hard hats – not too difficult to facilitate, yet sorely lacking in many South African factories today.
Amelia Stenson

About the Author/Author Bio

ITS Africa supplies commercial and industrial cleaning equipment in South Africa, including steam cleaners, vacuum cleaners, high pressure cleaners, brushware, car wash equipment and most other cleaning equipment for the removal of almost any kind of dirt or stain.

Article Source: http://www.articlesphere.com/Article/Top-Causes-of-Accidents-in-Factories/185140

Article Submitted: 2009-04-17 | This Article has been viewed 22 times.

More "Workplace" Related Articles

 
 

Listed below are more articles related to the above article from the "Workplace" article category.

People interested in the above article "Top Causes of Accidents in Factories" are also interested in the related articles listed below:

 
If you spend long hours in front of the computer sitting on a 'normal' seat, then it is very likely that you have developed a back ache. This is not in the least bit surprising given the fact that it is a commonplace condition. Whenever a person has to sit for a long time on a seat which is not professional designed as one of the new ergonomic office chairs, there is bound to be an adverse physical condition such as chronic neck and back pain which is a result of the chair not being properly aligned with the body of the user.
Just walk into any major company's office building and you can see how important reception areas are. It may seem a little over the top to say this, but reception areas truly are the place where a company can show visitors who they are. First impressions are important and for this purpose the reception area needs to be of a first class appearance.
Learn the simple way to remember how to operate almost any fire extinguisher safely and easily. Find out when you should tackle and fire and when it would be safest not to. Follow the simple steps for how to properly use any fire extinguisher on most types of fire and understand your responsibilities for training staff on fire extinguisher operation.
There is little point having fire extinguishers in your workplace unless people understand how to use them. This guide to fire extinguishers instructions outlines how to operate each of the main types of fire extinguishers. Discover the possible hazards associated with each kind of appliance and find out exactly how to tackle the various fire types they may be used on.
Ever wondered who first invented the fire extinguisher or how it has evolved into what we know today? Find out the history of the portable fire extinguisher and individuals involved in developing this vital appliance.
Anyone responsible for a place of work should have an understanding of fire extinguisher ratings and the different types of fire that they can be used on. This article explains clearly the fire extinguisher ratings systems in the UK, Europe and the US, as well as the different classes of fires.
There are several possible triggers of stress in the office, but the most common are ethical issues inherent with workplace stress. Being able to identify the triggers of your stress will help you avoid or cope with the situation that cause them to arise in the first place.
 
Article Directory Home All Categories Business Workplace
 

Can't find what you're looking for? Try Google Search!
 
Copyright © 2005 - by Larry Lim, Singapore - Article Search Engine Directory at ArticleSphere.com™
All Rights Reserved Worldwide. All Trademarks and Servicemarks are the property of the respective owners.

Afrikaans Albanian Arabic Belarusian Bulgarian Catalan Chinese (Simplified) Chinese (Traditional) Croatian Czech Danish German English Estonian Filipino Finnish French Galician Greek Hebrew Hindi Hungarian Icelandic Indonesian Irish Italiano Japanese Korean Latvian Lithuanian Macedonian Malay Maltese Dutch Norwegian Persian Polish Portuguese Romanian Russian Serbian Slovak Slovenian Spanish Swahili Swedish Thai Turkish Ukrainian Vietnamese Welsh Yiddish