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Safety is a major concern in any workplace, especially when working with machinery and equipment. This Lockout Tagout Buying Guide is your comprehensive resource to understand and implement lockout tagout procedures effectively, ensuring the safety of employees and preventing serious accidents. Lockout Tagout (LOTO) is a critical protocol that prevents the unexpected start-up of machinery during service or maintenance, safeguarding workers from potential hazards. This guide covers various aspects, including the definition and use of lockout and tagout, the importance of hazardous energy control, OSHA requirements, and steps for complete OSHA compliance. Delve into the details of lockout tagout procedure steps, the responsible parties for LOTO, training requirements, and scenarios where lockout must be applied. Learn about different lockout tagout devices, their definitions, and uses, ranging from cable lockouts to valve lockouts, ensuring a thorough understanding of the tools available
In April of this year, OSHA - Region V - WI published a Local Emphasis Program (LEP) established for the purpose of scheduling and conducting inspections within the Food Manufacturing Industry (click here for full details.)
The launch of the LEP allows for greater “outreach, education, training, and enforcement activities.” For many reading this, this specific LEP may not pertain to your facility. However, the rationale behind this special program is something that we can appreciate across the food industry. Reminders like this in our busy, hectic schedules can do a lot “to encourage employers to take steps to identify, reduce, and eliminate hazards associated with exposure to machine hazards during production activities, and off-shift sanitation, service, and maintenance tasks.”
Let’s face it, a food processing
This content highlights the advantages of switching from rigid plastic containers to Whirl-Pak® Bags in the sample collecting and storage process. The benefits include a significant reduction in plastic media waste, greenhouse gas emissions, water usage in manufacturing, overall hands-on time, and storage space. Additional advantages encompass lower shipping and disposal costs, along with puncture-proof, leak-proof closure tabs, guaranteed sterility, and easy identification. The information is backed by a case study conducted in April 2022 by Nasco Sampling LLC. The content also provides a step-by-step guide for implementing the switch, addressing considerations such as raw material and finished product testing, informing purchasing and disposal services, capturing team concerns, and setting up product and testing stations. The Whirl-Pak® Bags meet federal regulations and comply with standards set by FDA, USDA, HACCP, and EPA. For further information or assistance in transitioning
Selecting conveyor systems that are flexible, minimize waste, and ensure the integrity of transported products is vital for optimizing production efficiency. The market offers a diverse array of conveyor systems for integration into your production line, each with its unique features. Choosing the right solution is critical to prevent contamination of products and streamline the production process. While traditional conveyor belts efficiently move large quantities of powders, granules, and solids, they have drawbacks such as requiring significant installation space, exposing products to external contaminants, and being challenging and expensive to sanitize. Pneumatic conveyors provide an alternative solution, utilizing a closed airtight system to prevent product dispersion and contamination risks. This article delves into the working mechanisms of pneumatic conveyors, offering insights into their advantages, such as low maintenance costs, reduced contamination risks, prevention of product
5S is more than a program, it is a comprehensive system for organizing spaces so work can be performed efficiently, effectively, and safely. This system focuses on putting everything where it belongs and keeping the workplace clean, which naturally promotes a safer workplace with more efficiency.
When implementing a 5S system, it is important to remember to start small. Start with a pilot project to get a feel for if/what employee training is needed—how to implement the system, how to track progress, and how to celebrate success.
5S IS A FIVE-STEP PROCESS:
- Sort: Separate the tools that are needed to get the job done.
Remove everything else. - Set in Order: Place all relevant tools within reach of operatives and reduce the need to be away from
The 5S System is a fundamental lean manufacturing tool, designed to enhance workplace efficiency and eliminate waste through a structured five-step approach. The first step, "Sort," involves separating necessary tools from unnecessary items to minimize the risk of cross-contamination. "Set In Order" emphasizes organizing tools within reach to reduce downtime, employing color coding and shadow boards for systematic arrangement. "Shine" promotes cleanliness to ensure safety, detect potential issues, and maintain a productive environment. "Standardize" focuses on creating practices, such as Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and shadow boards, to sustain the improvements made. Finally, "Sustain" emphasizes consistency through regular checks to uphold the established standards. To complement the 5S System, incorporating visual aids such as signs, labels, safety tapes, floor markings, and custom shadow boards provides an effective means of communication and reinforces the success of the 5S
Oterra™ Natural Colors for candies and confectioneries provide a color palette even Cupid would adore! As the world’s leading supplier of natural colors, Oterra continues their dedication to applying the goodness and purity of nature to our food. Their advanced technology and mission promotes every step -or arrow!- in the right direction to suit various applications with no compromise on quality or safety, therefore offering a wide product range.
If you are looking for natural colors to help create products for the day of love, there are several Oterra products available. Each offer a full spectrum of colors and natural ingredients to help produce the best color for your specific application.
- I-Colors®: Colorful, instant powders that plate well and hydrate easily.
- Promotes resilient coatings for easy, trouble-free panning.
Color-coding allows for easy and quick communication of information essential for food safety. Designating critical control areas and zones helps your sanitation program by ensuring that the tools stay in the areas in which they are meant to be used, doing jobs they are meant to do.
Color-coded programs also help avoid bacterial and allergen cross-contamination within a facility or from one application to another, allowing you to maintain a safe food processing facility.
Consider bringing in help to develop and maintain a color-coded program.
Contact our Product Specialists for assistance today!
The Incoplas® LED Hybrid Hazloc, from Shat-R-Shield®, is a durable multi-purpose and corrosion-resistant LED lighting solution that can be used in heavy industrial applications where hazardous location lighting is required.
Features
- Specifically designed to withstand moisture, dust, chemicals, salt spray, and harsh environments.
- Uses thermally conductive engineered polymers to extract heat away from the light source and offer consistent heat dissipation.
- Significant weight reduction over comparable aluminum fixtures.
- Multiple mounting options to choose from.
Now is the time to start thinking about organizing, identifying, and labeling your inventory and storage areas in the New Year. Creating an expected “home” or centralized