Safety, Standards & Compliance

When the topic of energy efficiency comes up, energy-efficient machine tools don't immediately spring to mind. Yet machine tools contain motors and auxiliary components whose energy demand varies widely during machining operations. Happily, a new series of ISO standards can help measure energy supplied and improve machine design and performance.

Camfil APC has designed its Farr Gold Series industrial dust collectors to remove hazardous and nuisance dusts from factories while occupying the smallest possible floor space. Farr Gold Series collectors are built from 3-foot-six-inch square modules that can be combined in dozens of configurations to fit the specific work environment. Each module accommodates airflows up to 5,000 cubic feet per minute (cfm) using four pleated filter cartridges mounted in a symmetrical frame.

The StandRite-Pro is designed to control postural sway in standing. Other solutions have only addressed "symptoms" of pain and fatigue. The StandRite-Pro brings a sensible and effective solution to the "causes". This solution addresses every aspect of standing while providing unimpeded ingress and egress when needed.

For operations that produce toxic dusts like manganese, hex chrome, nickel and zinc oxide, it is a priority to keep the workplace safe and compliant with OSHA regulations. But traditional remote-mounted HEPA filters require expensive, cumbersome ducting configurations and additional supports that take up valuable space. Camfil APC dust collectors are available with Integrated Safety Monitoring Filters (iSMFs) to isolate toxic particulates ensuring that no measurable weight of emissions is being discharged.

A lightweight, easy-to-assemble system that allows for maximum motion dynamics in material handling applications has been developed by igus. The guidelite vertical system ensures that vertically moving energy chains in highly dynamic applications are safely held in place while moving at high speeds.

Protecting workers from harmful noise on the job is an important component to worker safety programs. Honeywell has released a new earplug dispenser for commercial-industrial use that makes it easier than ever for companies to achieve better hearing protection for their employees.

Implementing a safety management system is no small task. Because safety is highly cross-functional, you will need buy-in and support from the full business, as well as dedicated time and resources to develop a plan.

John Dauber and Kevin Tucker of Camfil APC, Jonesboro, Ark., have written a white paper about airborne mists emitted during machining processes, which pose numerous risks to human health and safety. It is important to understand the regulations that limit these emissions, as well as the various technologies available to achieve compliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and other regulatory agencies. This paper discusses what you can do about mist collection issues in your facility, how to evaluate which type of collection system is most suitable for your application and how to establish an overall safety program that will best protect employees and equipment.

A smart floor eliminates missing information, reinforces standards and keeps people safe. A smart floor answers questions. Marking floors is one of the fastest, easiest ways to direct behavior and create visual communication in a work environment. Floor markings not only communicate what is supposed to happen but reinforce existing standards in the workplace. Floor marking products, such as floor decals, A-frame signs, floor marking tape and floor symbols, promote safety and improve efficiency, saving time and money and reducing injuries. By utilizing these types of products, a facility can become a safer, more productive workplace.