Several ways minor service exceptions can elevate a plant
It is vital to prioritize employee safety. and protect the production processes. However, traditional machine safeguarding methods can be disruptive to productivity and efficiency. This is where a minor service exception can make all the difference.
Learning Objectives
- Understand what a minor service exception is, and how it helps productivity.
- Learn the options for ensuring safety while improving productivity.
- Learn the steps needed to get started with a minor service exception.
For manufacturers, it is vital to prioritize the safety of employees and protect production processes. However, traditional machine safeguarding methods, such as lockout/tagout (LOTO), can often be disruptive to productivity and efficiency. This is where a minor service exception can make all the difference. It offers a unique alternative that focuses on enhancing machine safety while improving productivity levels for manufacturing plants. In this article, we will explore why this type of service exception may be the solution for in balancing safety and productivity in a manufacturing facility.
Minor service exceptions can be valuable for businesses that rely on their machinery. Maintaining compliance to this LOTO exception not only ensures the safety of machine operators, but it also offer many other benefits. A minor service exception is an exception adopted by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) that allows routine repetitive maintenance tasks to be done without shutting down the machine. However, a minor service exception can only be applied during a production operations task deemed to be integral to the machine function. The employer must ensure that there are other alternative protection measures implemented that provide equivalent protection to LOTO to employees through a safety risk assessment, verification/validation — which could include additional safeguards — or a control reliable circuit upgrade.
A safety risk assessment and verification/validation on any machine with a minor exception is key as it shows all tasks/hazards including safety remediation and compliance to the equivalent protection of LOTO. It also outlines all task and hazards and how to implement safeguards or safety functions for a machine work environment at an acceptable safety level to leverage the minor servicing exception. This allows for companies to improve efficiency and output of the machine and production line to continue running during these routine and repetitive tasks. In short, a minor service exception is a crucial investment for plants that want to maintain a high level of productivity and keep their machines running safely and smoothly while keeping their employees safe.
Exploring a minor service exception as an alternative to LOTO can help keep productivity top of mind, while still ensuring a safe working environment for staff and facilities.
Ian Wilson is Grantek’s smart safety and logistics practice leader.
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