It is important for those who run stainless manufacturing facilities to prevent accidents from occurring on their premises. Here are two ways that they can do this.

Invest in welding curtains

Welding equipment is used in almost all stainless steel manufacturing facilities. This equipment enables employees to fuse pieces of steel together.

Most stainless steel manufacturers are well aware of the risks of operating welding machines and so choose to provide their staff with protective clothing and powerful ventilation systems to ensure that they do not sustain burns or develop respiratory problems as a result of using this equipment.

However, it's important for manufacturers to also take steps to protect other employees who may need to walk past the welding equipment whilst it is in use, as they, too, are at risk of being hurt by the fumes, flames and arc lights generated by this machinery.

Hanging welding curtains around the perimeters of the area where the welding machine is located is one very simple but effective way to do this.

Welding curtains are made from a special material that does not allow the arc light created by a welding machine to pass through it. This means that those who need to work or walk by the welding equipment will not be exposed to this dangerous light (which can cause corneal flash burns).

These curtains are also non-flammable, which means that should the heat generated by the welding equipment cause a fire, the flames will not reach and burn nearby employees.

Keep pallet trucks in good working order

Stainless steel components can be extremely heavy. As such, most stainless steel manufacturers have at least a few electric pallet trucks on their premises, so that employees can transport these heavy materials around their facilities in a safe and efficient manner.

Unfortunately, if this equipment is not inspected and, where necessary, repaired on a regular basis, accidents may occur.

If for example, a pallet's forks become corroded to the point where they can no longer support heavy loads, and the pallet is then used to transport a large pile of steel, there is a risk that the forks may collapse midway through the transportation process.

In this situation, the steel could end up tumbling off the forks, onto a nearby employee. Due to the weight of this material, the impact could leave them with serious injuries.

As such, it is crucial for stainless steel manufacturers who keep pallet trucks on their premises to ensure that they are kept in good working order.

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