What Safety Measures Are Needed When Fabricating Metal?

 

Working in the fabrication industry can involve dangerous and high-risk activities. Processes such as welding and laser cutting have a high risk of an accident or injury occurring, which is why safety procedures must be in place and followed to reduce the risk of such happening. Safety procedures are also put in place to increase the quality of fabricated products.

Throughout this blog we’ll take you through the necessary safety measures in a fabrication workshop and how you can implement them in your workplace.

Suitable Training

Having a safe work environment starts with employees and the training they have. Safety training should be provided to all members of staff, from machinery and equipment training to occupational hazards and best practice policies. Employees having suitable training will help to keep both themselves and their colleagues safe as well as keep machinery in good condition and reducing costs.

Any new employee entering the business should be given appropriate training as well as existing staff. This will ensure all safety procedures are followed and greatly reduce the risk of an accident occurring.

Safety Equipment

It isn’t just safety training that is needed to keep employees safe, ensuring you have the correct equipment is also vital. Protective clothing should always be worn when machinery is being used or materials are being handled. This includes wearing full Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as hats, goggles, gloves, ear plugs and safety shoes, when items are being fabricated.

Safety hazard signs are also an effective way to educate workers on possible hazards in the work environment. They also cause workers to be more aware of potential threats, therefore decreasing the chances of an accident.

Product Handling

As previously mentioned, precautions should be taken when fabricated products are being handled including when the items are being fabricated, transported on stored.

During the fabrication process, potential dangers such as sharp edges being present can arise, creating a major hazard if not spotted and handled correctly. As well as this, products can reach extreme heat during the fabrication process which is also something to be mindful of when handling products.

Finally, the weight of items should be taken into consideration. If the product is large or heavy, machinery will probably be the best option to handle it. However, if products are being manually handled, workers must ensure they are doing so with proper neck and back support to avoid injury.

Safety should come first in a fabrication workshop, and we hope these tips have been useful in assessing your own safety procedures and seeing if they are up to scratch.

If you have any queries about steel fabrication and how we can help with your fabrication requirements, don’t hesitate to get in touch by calling 01977 670 067 or emailing info@candcfabrications.co.uk.