Factories are traditionally one of the most dangerous workplaces in the UK, relying on stringent health and safety practices to ensure the safety of the workers at all times. Not only is this down to the volume of accidents that take place in factory settings, but also the severity of those accidents, which can often lead to permanent injury or death.
Factory Health and Safety Regulations
All employers have a duty of care over their employees but many workers, including those working in factories, are now protected by a group of six major areas of health and safety legislation known as the “Six Pack”. This set of regulations covers many areas of work practice including The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations, The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations, The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations, The Manual Handling Operations Regulations, The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations, The Manual Handling Operations Regulations and The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations.
Under these regulations, workers are covered by an extremely detailed and carefully applied set of rules that govern health and safety within the factory workplace. Although not all of the rules apply, employees in factory environments are covered by many areas, which ensure many safety precautions are in place including the supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to all workers. Workers should also be protected via the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) regulations, which ensure workers are protected from harmful substances while accident at work.
Common Causes of Factory Accidents
Although there are many different types of accident that can take place within a factory setting, some of the most common include:
Slips, Trips and Falls – Manufacturing environments such as factories often house many spillages and discarded packaging items that can lead to slips or trips within the workplace. Serious falls can lead to many serious injuries, including irreparable back injuries.
Heavy Machinery – Factories are often filled with heavy and dangerous machinery that is capable of causing severe or even fatal accidents when not properly operated or managed. Anyone who is entrusted to use such machinery should be properly trained beforehand to ensure their safety and the safety of others. Machines should also be regularly tested and employers should ensure that machine guarding equipment is always in place.
Forklift Truck Accidents – Forklift trucks are a vital part of the factory system due to the large number of heavy items and products that regularly need to be moved around the site. Due to the dangerous nature of forklift trucks, workers should be provided with the proper training before they are allowed to use these hazardous machines. Not only that, but each employee should be provided with the correct Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when working on or around forklift trucks to protect them from harm if an accident does occur.
Heavy Lifting – Heavy lifting occurs regularly within factory environments due o the nature of the industry, but this type of work conditions can encourage accidents if care isn’t taken to ensure safety. Staff should receive the correct level of training before they are entrusted to lift heavy objects, and the correct lifting equipment should be provided where necessary.
