Whether you oversee the operations of a busy automobile factory, build ships or create energy, working in the heavy industries is far from simple. With the clang of metal on metal comes risk, both in terms of safety and logistics.


You need to keep production moving by predicting problems before they happen. You must meet orders while juggling repairs and making sure everyone works to the book. Sometimes, it feels like you need a second, third or fourth pair of eyes to monitor everything at once.

Here are five things everyone who works with heavy machinery should think about.

 

Safety

This one should come first – always. Even if you need to ramp up production or finish a build by evening, safety considerations should go with every action. Of the 111 workers killed on the job in 2019 and 2020, half were operating in the construction and manufacturing trades.

This means it’s important to get the right training, set clear rules and always create the headspace to think about safety risks of all kinds.

A 2018 study by Korn Ferry found stress levels were already growing among manufacturing sector employees. Now, pandemic pressures are adding to the burden by providing new ways in which safety must be monitored.

Still, keeping standards up is important, since health and safety-based shutdowns never help your bottom line.

 

Machine maintenance

When did you purchase the machinery you use, and how many years had it clocked by then? From simple glue guns to large-scale tunnel boring machines, many industrial appliances can suffer damage if they are not properly maintained.

Proper maintenance is invaluable, since it helps keep teams safe and production running. There are useful government guidelines about properly maintaining machines.

 

Site or factory layout

Mobilising operations means creating a safe and efficient layout. On temporary construction sites, these are often drawn up physically, factory managers should think carefully about layout, too.

Position your machines too far apart, and staff may need to walk between zones, creating potential hazards and driving down productivity. Fail to leave enough space for forklift trucks and other industrial vehicles and you could end up with a logistical nightmare on your hands.

Of course, moving heavy machinery is no easy task, so be sure to use the right tools and safety measures. You might need to hire machinery to move your machines – but smaller machines can sometimes be relocated using caster wheels. This guide from industrial mobility specialists Tente sets out the many options.

 

Waste management

Most lines of work produce waste of some kind, whether this comes in the form of fabric offcuts or something a little more hazardous.

Maintaining an efficient system of waste management is key to keeping the environment safe – after all, even fabric offcuts present a trip risk – and efficient. Set up a sustainable waste management process and a rota to ensure you keep up.

 

Insurance

It’s no secret that industrial machinery can be expensive. While smaller machines can be picked up for a few hundred pounds, large or particularly high-tech machines often fetch millions.

For this reason, it’s important to invest in proper machinery insurance to mitigate the risk of fire, flood damage or theft.

 

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