Pallet Stacking Safety: 5 Hidden MSD Risks You Need to Know to Protect Your Workers

Palletizing Safety: How Cobots Reduce Musculoskeletal Disorders in Food & Beverage, Pharmaceutical, and Consumer Goods Manufacturing

Safety is paramount in a factory. Everyone wants their team members to be healthy and available to perform their jobs. Injuries are the most undesirable outcome, typically falling into two categories: immediate and progressive.

Immediate injuries, such as a cut, burn, or broken bone, require prompt medical treatment. Manufacturing facilities have personal protective equipment (PPE) and safety protocols to prevent these injuries. Alternatively, progressive injuries build up over time and may be harder to mitigate. Some of these progressive injuries include hearing loss, respiratory issues, and musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).

How Palletizing Systems Reduce MSDs in Food & Beverage Tertiary Packaging

Working in food production poses hazards. While the industry has seen some successful automation, food and beverage production encompasses a remarkably diverse array of products that make it challenging to automate fully. Food and beverage manufacturing includes powders (sugar, flour, spices, baby food), liquids (soda, wine, cooking oils, dressings, sauces), dry products (cereals, nuts, coffee), and perishable products (fruits, vegetables, cheeses). Dense products (such as beverages and powders) can be cumbersome. Other products (such as liquids) may shift with movement, making it more dangerous for a person to lift above their head or move below their waist. When it comes to palletizing products, picking and placing require two key movements: back and shoulder flexion.

What is Flexion Movement?

• Flexion is the bending, twisting, or curving of a body part.
• Flexion is the closing of a joint (i.e., decreasing the angle of an elbow), which is the exact opposite of extension (i.e., increasing the joint angle of the elbow).
• Shoulder flexion is moving arms from their resting position at the side of the body to above the head.
• Flexion of the back is bending forward.

Lower back pain increases when there is a longer duration of back flexion in mild (20° to 40°) and severe (>45°) positions (reported by the University of Buffalo) or extreme back flexion (>60° per Department of Kinesiology at the University of Waterloo). The manual palletizing of foods or liquids exposes people to both. Those who have experienced back pain know that recovery can take a long time.

Conclusion

Providing people with a safe working environment is a top priority for food & beverage, pharmaceutical, and consumer product manufacturers. Injuries, whether immediate or progressive, pose significant risks to workers and can lead to substantial loss of working days and productivity. Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are among the progressive injuries that can result from manual tasks like pallet stacking, particularly prevalent in the manufacturing of Food & Beverage, Pharmaceutical, and Consumer Goods.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question 1: What are Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs)?

MSDs are a group of conditions that affect the muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, and other soft tissues of the body. Repetitive motions, awkward postures, prolonged static positions, overexertion, and forceful exertions can cause MSDs.

Question 2: How do cobots reduce the risk of MSDs in palletizing operations?

Cobots can handle the physical strain of palletizing tasks, reducing the likelihood of MSDs, increasing pallet stacking safety, and enhancing overall workplace safety.

Question 3: What are the benefits of using cobots in palletizing operations?

Cobots can increase productivity, reduce labor costs, and improve product quality. They can also handle heavy or bulky items, reducing the risk of injury to workers.

Question 4: Can cobots be integrated into existing palletizing operations?

Yes, cobots can be integrated into existing palletizing operations with minimal disruption to production. They can be programmed to work alongside human workers, or they can be used to automate the entire palletizing process.

Question 5: How can I get started with implementing cobots in my palletizing operations?

Start by assessing your current palletizing operations and identifying areas where automation can improve safety and efficiency. Consult with a robot expert to determine the best cobot solution for your specific needs and budget.