Common manufacturing industry hazards

In the past 12 months, the manufacturing sector in Australia has seen concerning statistics related to workplace safety. There were 195 work-related fatalities across all sectors in 2022, with manufacturing being one of the higher-risk industries. Additionally, the sector has experienced a significant number of serious injuries, with the rate of serious workers’ compensation claims being 6.5 claims per million hours worked in the 2021-22 period. These figures highlight the ongoing challenges in ensuring workplace safety in manufacturing, emphasising the need for continued improvements in health and safety practices to reduce both fatalities and injuries​ (Safe Work Australia). The manufacturing industry is fraught with several common hazards that can lead to injuries or fatalities. Here are some of the most prevalent hazards and the strategies to avoid them:

  • Risks: These include being caught in or struck by moving parts, leading to amputations, crushing injuries, or even fatalities.
  • Controls:
    • Implement machine guarding to prevent contact with moving parts.
    • Ensure proper lockout/tagout (LOTO) procedures during maintenance to prevent accidental start-ups.
    • Provide adequate training on safe operation procedures.
  • Risks: These are common and can result in sprains, fractures, or more severe injuries.
  • Controls:
    • Maintain clean and dry floors.
    • Mark hazardous areas with appropriate signage.
    • Use non-slip mats and ensure good lighting in all work areas.
  • Risks: Heavy lifting or repetitive tasks can cause musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) such as back injuries.
  • Controls:
    • Provide mechanical aids (e.g., forklifts, hoists) to reduce the need for manual lifting.
    • Train workers in proper lifting techniques.
    • Rotate tasks to minimize repetitive strain.
  • Risks: Exposure to hazardous chemicals can lead to respiratory problems, burns, or poisoning.
  • Controls:
    • Use proper ventilation systems.
    • Store chemicals safely and label them correctly.
    • Equip workers with personal protective equipment (PPE) like gloves, masks, and goggles.
  • Risks: Prolonged exposure to high noise levels can result in hearing loss.
  • Controls:
    • Implement engineering controls like soundproof enclosures.
    • Provide hearing protection (e.g., earplugs, earmuffs).
    • Regularly monitor noise levels in the workplace.
  • Risks: Contact with live wires or malfunctioning electrical equipment can cause electric shocks or fires.
  • Controls:
    • Ensure regular maintenance and inspection of electrical systems.
    • Use proper insulation and grounding techniques.
    • Train workers on electrical safety practices.
  • Risks: Poorly designed workstations or tools can lead to strain injuries or long-term musculoskeletal issues.
  • Controls:
    • Design workstations that support natural body positions.
    • Provide adjustable seating and tools.
    • Encourage regular breaks to prevent strain.
  • Risks: In environments with flammable materials or combustible dust, the risk of fires or explosions is significant.
  • Controls:
    • Maintain proper housekeeping to reduce combustible dust.
    • Install and maintain fire detection and suppression systems.
    • Develop and practice an emergency response plan.
  • Risks: Working in confined spaces can lead to asphyxiation, entrapment, or exposure to hazardous substances.
  • Controls:
    • Conduct risk assessments before entry.
    • Use proper ventilation and air monitoring.
    • Provide training and emergency rescue plans for workers.

What actions should be taken to prevent incidents

When it comes to high risk work, legislation required employers take particular measures which include:

General Risk Assessment

The first thing all manufacturing businesses need to do if they haven’t already done so is undertake a risk assessment of the entire workplace, which must involve site inspections to identify and document any hazards.

Hazards should then be recorded a risk register with corrective actions allocated to individuals with due dates added. This should then be discussed with workers in Tool Box Talks. Whilst this is good practice for any workplace, it is critical for high-risk industries such as manufacturing to do this on a regular basis, involving workers.

Lock Out Tag Out (LOTO) Procedures

It is critical to have a procedure for each machine which details the steps to be taken when repairs and maintenance requires the machine to be shut down and then restarted. This ensures that the machine does not start up when people are exposed to moving parts

Manufacturing case study

Machine fatality

An operator died at The Elastomers Pty Ltd rubber factory in Victoria in May 2021, while using an automated machine that produced rubber in sheet and strip form. A machine part known as the “wig wag” occasionally jammed or tangled the rubber and operators would have to enter the “danger zone” under the wig wag to untangle it. A light curtain guarded the danger zone, but there was a 122cm gap between the light curtain and the part of the machine workers accessed to untangle the rubber, which meant they could be in the danger zone without continually breaking the light curtain beam. An operator could also restart the machine while a worker remained in the danger zone.

In May 2021, a worker entered this zone, most likely to clear jammed rubber, and stopped the machine when he interrupted the light curtain beam. His colleague on the upper control panel could not see that the worker was in the danger zone, and restarted the machine.

The wig wag struck the worker on the head, causing fatal open skull fractures. A court convicted and fined an employer $450,000 for failing to provide a safe workplace, resulting in an “entirely foreseeable” death [OHS Safety Alert  Friday 26 April 2024].

How we can help

Your Safety Partners specialise in manufacturing work health and safety and are able to assist in many ways including:

  • Conducting full workplace hazard inspections
  • Conducting machine guarding audits
  • Developing both video and softcopy Work Instructions for each machine
  • Developing LOTO procedures
  • Providing electronic solutions such as QR Codes which provide machine instructions
  • Facilitate worker training including in LOTO
  • Developing and deploying e-learning or face to face inductions
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