Safety in rotomolding presents some unique challenges. From heat stress to head injuries there are multiple opportunities to go out on “injured reserve” as they say in the big leagues. SCI (Stern Companies Inc.) is looking at ways to prevent injuries through training and engineering solutions as opposed to simply providing the appropriate PPE.
New hires are walked through a checklist of safety related items which includes safety training on the band saw. Machine platforms are also constructed to provide maximum safety features. With the purchase of our new Ferry RS3000 shuttle machine, we had the opportunity to design a state of the art platform that completely surrounds the arm and hydraulically retracts when the tools are loaded and the arm is ready to move into the oven. The two-piece platform, with a full safety rail, completely surrounds the grid on the straight arm.
There is also a fixed portion on the platform to hold the resin which can be lifted into position with a forklift. Calibrated scale and operator controls complete the setup reducing operator fatigue as much as possible. A gantry hoist surrounds the platform to assist in the demolding process.
SCI is approaching one year without a recordable injury making rotational molding a safer job (not to mention a lot more fun) than having a position on a major league sports team.
Tom Caouette is the Plant Manager at SCI (Stern Companies, Inc.). He has been with the company since April of 2013. Prior to coming to Stern, Tom has 36 years of experience in production, engineering and quality management with a major defense contractor. Tom’s knowledge and experience he has brought to Stern’s rotational manufacturing facility and assembly has been beneficial in the LEAN and Quality Improvement processes here at Stern Companies.
The ARM Blog is written by a variety of leaders in the rotational molding industry. We encourage you to share your input in the comment section. If you’re interested in writing a post for the blog, email ARM staff at info@rotomolding.org.
For more information about the Association, visit www.rotomolding.org
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