Page 38 - MetalForming July 2014
P. 38

Safe Work Practices
 • Minimize production of mist by controlling the volume and flow rate to cutting tools.
• Use enclosures or ventilation to remove any mist being generated.
Workers
• Keep work areas clean and practice good industrial hygiene.
• Always wear clean clothes and launder any clothing contaminated with MWFs.
• Wear personnel protective equipment such as splash aprons and nitrile gloves where appropriate.
• Perform frequent hand washing to remove fluids, and never use a solvent to wash skin.
• Keep skin moisturized during the work day. • Use a skin-barrier cream if needed.
 Performing Safety Audits—
A Self-Analysis for Manufacturers
The Risks:
Case 1: A shop specializing in weld- ment repair and rebuilding of small machine parts was found liable for fatal injuries to an employee who had been operating a mechanical power press. The press camshaft, which had been repair-welded by the shop, fractured during normal production use. This caused the press to double-cycle when the operator reached into the die area to adjust the tool adjustment. The set- tlement against the machine shop exceeded $2 million.
Case 2: The manufacturer of a shear pin for snow-blower augers paid $975,000 in a product-liability lawsuit. The pin failed to break when the auger sent a large chunk of ice through the chute and into the owner’s face, result- ing in severe injuries. The pin manu- facturer had no quality-control proce- dures or records to verify the strength and failure points of the pin, which the snow-blower manufacturer had con- tracted to have designed and produced.
No One is Immune
As a manufacturer, you’ve come to appreciate the value of producing a quality product, and staying competi- tive means controlling your costs and risks. One of the major risks manufac- turers face involves the threat of prod- uct-liability lawsuits, much like the previous scenarios. These lawsuits can have a devastating impact on your company’s reputation and survival.
The best way to avoid lawsuits: A commitment to product safety.
Although operations, product types, users, etc., may differ, each company needs a plan to ensure it manufactures safe products, which will ultimately help to preserve its business assets, quality reputation and customer base.
Often, unsafe products result from gaps in design or manufacturing processes, including:
• Design defects of the product or packaging not revealed in a hazard analysis/design review;
• Manufacturing defects overlooked in quality control;
• Failure to adequately instruct or warn of known or suspected hazards;
• Failure to respond to customer complaints or warranty claims as an indication of potential problems;
• Lack of adequate research to locate state-of-the-art standards on which to develop design and manufacturing cri- teria; and
• Failure to take corrective action when defects or problems are discovered.
To help minimize the occurrence of product-liability claims, manufacturers should anticipate, control and elimi- nate any potential problems in design or manufacturing processes. Do you have the basis for a proactive product- safety program? Is it designed to control foreseeable risks to your company and to the users of your product?
Performing an Audit
One of the best ways to pinpoint problem areas is to examine your cur- rent program with a formal self-audit. The size and scope of a product-safety
and liability-prevention audit can best be determined by:
• Your company size and number of product lines;
• Type and complexity of your prod- uct(s); and
• Experience level of auditor and their understanding of product-safety principles.
A product safety self audit guide will help with identifying and improving weak points and overall product safety. A sample of the guide is available along with this article at www.metalform- ingmagazine.com. Note that there are some elements that may not apply to your operations, for which a response of “N/A” would be appropriate. You also may find that other elements need to be addressed in addition to this list.
A product-safety self-audit should focus on a review of documents and records that demonstrate your efforts to manufacture a safe product. This includes an evaluation of quality-con- trol procedures, relevant standards that compare design and manufacturing parameters, and related procedures that emphasize your commitment to product safety. An individual well- acquainted with internal methods and reporting relationships will be the most knowledgeable and capable of accu- rately completing the audit. MF
Article provided by Sentry Insurance, a Mutual Company, and its subsidiaries and affiliates (collectively SIAMCO) with the understanding that SIAMCO is not engaged in the practice of law nor is it rendering legal advice.
36 MetalForming/July 2014
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