Conveyor Safety – Top 8 Tips to Minimize Conveyor Belt Risks

Conveyor belt safety should always be your top priority if any automated conveyor systems are used in your company. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that conveyor accidents cause 9,000 injuries and over 40 workplace fatalities each year.

There are some conveyor belt hazards to be aware of to help decrease injuries related to conveyors, regardless of the type of conveyor being used in your company. Even though it’s impossible to keep every accident from happening in your warehouse or factory, there are a few useful conveyor safety guidelines to remember. We’ll look at eight of the most important dos and don’ts for operating automated conveyor systems in this article.

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#1 -Don't sit, stand, or walk on conveyors

On the conveyor belt, employees should never stand, sit, climb, or move around. Safety must always come first, and these actions are very risky (even if they look fun). People were not intended to climb or walk on conveyor belts. Even when conveyor pinch point guards have been installed, there are numerous pinch points in every conveyor system that could trap people or clothing and cause serious injuries. Aside from the potential for injury, people using conveyors run the risk of causing the belts to derail, which would harm the entire system.

#2 - Make sure conveyor controls are operating correctly

Anyone working with conveyor belts should be familiar with where to locate the system’s emergency stop and start controls. Employees will then be equipped to respond appropriately in the event of emergencies or other issues.

#3 - Keep hair, clothing, jewellery, and other loose items away

Anything that is not properly restrained, including long hair, body parts, and loose clothing, has the potential to get caught in a conveyor belt and cause serious injuries. Anyone working close to a conveyor should make sure their hair is tied back and remove any jewellery, such as rings, necklaces, watches, and bracelets. This is one of the most important conveyor safety rules you should put into practise. Additionally, workers who are near conveyors should be aware of their appendages and refrain from donning baggy clothing.

#4 - Do Keep Personnel Away From the Conveyor before Starting

According to legal requirements, conveyor systems must have a warning signal that can be activated before starting up. For businesses creating conveyor safety regulations out of concern for their workers, that ought to be just the start. The meaning of the warning signal and any potential risks that may arise if it is disregarded should be explained to employees.

#5 - Check that all conveyor guards are in place

For maintenance, workers or contractors may remove guards, exposing potentially hazardous machinery, chains, gears, and moving parts. Automated conveyor systems should always be locked when in use for the protection of workers, and they should only be turned back on after all conveyor pinch point guards and covers have been successfully replaced.

#6 - Don’t Ignore Issues

Workers on automated conveyor systems should be aware that they should alert a supervisor right away if they experience any problems. Employees need to be taught the importance of reporting suspicious activity. It’s always better to be safe than sorry, regardless of how minor the problem may seem.

#7 - Do Make Conveyor Belt Safety Training a Priority

If your company uses conveyors, every employee should know how to operate them safely before starting work. All visitors should be informed of how to stay safe while they are in your facility, and existing staff should receive regular refresher training on conveyor safety guidelines.

#8 - Don’t Mistreat Controls

Controls for conveyors should only be used by trained personnel. You must regularly check your conveyor controls to ensure that nobody has disconnected, changed, or misused them. Teach your staff that the conveyor belt controls are a part of a larger system and should not be altered without permission.

Choose Bluesurf Technologies for Your Automated Conveyor Systems

Given what you’ve learned about using conveyor systems safety, Bluesurf Technologies can assist you in setting up a conveyor belt system or maintaining an existing one. Bluesurf Technologies strives to make the best conveyor belts possible every day, regardless of whether your company is in the manufacturing, food, beverage, Dairy, Bakery & Confectionary or any other industry. Get advice from our team of experts if you have any questions about Conveyor System Design Or conveyor belt safety by getting in touch with us right away.

Conveyor Safety – Top 8 Tips to Minimize Conveyor Belt Risks