Workers and managers found a range of concerns after detailed risk assessment
In April 2022, a volunteer group of eight subject matter experts hailing from Ontario’s corrugating industry met virtually for a workplace risk assessment and to discuss the top issues plaguing the sector.
The group, comprised of management and worker representatives, found that inadequate lockout (resulting in injury) was the biggest concern among those in the sector.
Some of the issues contributing to the risks around inadequate lockout included improper training, improper lockout controls, and inaccessible, inconvenient or outdated process that make it difficult to lockout, as well as not following up on concerns, inadequate following up or not auditing as per procedure,according to Tom Welton, Director of Prevention Services and Education Programs at Workplace Safety North.
Though many companies have an auditing procedure for lockout to ensure that workers are coached appropriately, if supervisors are not visually on the floor to audit and overlook the process, things can go awry, says Welton.
Rounding out the top three concerns were pedestrians struck by mobile equipment, and ergonomics-related injuries to workers. On that last point, there are a number of things that can lead to poor ergonomics for workers in the corrugating sector. For example, machines be a little older or lacking funds to eliminate ergonomic concerns with engineering controls.
“Funding is always an issue. Lack of resource or time to evaluate areas of concern is a factor with all industries right now,” says Welton. “And then these controls are actually put into place, ensuring that they’re being used can sometimes be an issue.”
Broadly, insufficiency around training is also a concern, and a challenge as with many sectors as there is a significant turnover of workers. With the demographics in the sector being older, the industry is have a lot of new workers coming in to replace those older workers that are retiring.
“And that creates issues along with a lack of workers, so it’s a perfect storm type of issue. Many of these factors are complicating the need to expand training, specifically in relation to lockout and providing the necessary follow up from a supervisory capacity to ensure that workers are coached properly.”
Here is a full list of the top 10 health and safety risks in corrugating sector:
- Inadequate lockout-tagout resulting in injury
- Pedestrian struck by mobile equipment
- Ergonomics – injuries to workers
- Inadequate guarding (older equipment with outdated guarding)
- Improper pedestrian and mobile equipment interaction
- Improper storage of paper roll and inventory (wood pallets, finished goods)
- Caught in or struck by stationary equipment (leading to falls and crush)
- Contractor training and inadequate compliance
- Incomplete lockout and tagout due to design constraints (equipment and process issues)
- Occupational illness (repetitive strain injury).
