Safety needs to be of the utmost importance in any operation. Complying with OSHA regulations is a necessity to avoid fines, but oftentimes the minimum standards do not go far enough to mitigate workplace hazards. Making extra efforts to ensure safety reduces the risk of workplace injuries, lowers the incidence of workers’ compensation claims, reduces down time, and saves money.
Pump safety is crucial. These are powerful machines pumping thousands of gallons of materials, many of which are toxic, corrosive and laden with hazardous chemicals. If the pumps aren’t running safely and the people who run them aren’t trained properly, bad things can and will happen. Let’s look at four steps you can take to implement better pump safety training and operational protocols.
- Know Your Operation
Safety begins by developing a complete understanding of every detail of the operation and the function of every piece of equipment at your plant. Likewise, the role and duties of each employee must be understood and well defined. When you know how everything works—and how it should work—you will better be able to develop and implement a pump safety program.
- Identify and Troubleshoot
You must be able to identify common failures and safety hazards presented by each component of the pumps in question. Is everything being maintained and monitored as it should? Is the equipment being pushed too hard? What are the operational safety or shutdown procedures if there is a problem? Understand how and when problems can happen, so your team is ready to troubleshoot if a safety issue does occur.
- Educate and Implement
With a complete understanding of the system as a whole and the specific operating parameters of each pump, you can effectively implement a safety program. It starts with thorough training. Bring in an outside trainer or send your employees to safety certification courses. Implement site-wide safety protocols and procedures. Training and consistent processes can significantly reduce the likelihood of events and mitigate damage if something goes wrong.
- Review and Monitor
After a safety program is put in place it needs to be consistently reviewed and examined for compliance. Monitor your employees, keep providing refresher training and new training, and continually review your safety program for ways it could be improved. Safety is never a “one and done” thing. It must always be a top priority at your facility.
Cortech offers a comprehensive safety training program for clients who wish to improve their pump safety protocols. Our team can help your business identify limitations in its existing program and train employees to recognize and respond to hazards. For help with pump safety training, pump maintenance programs and other resources that will benefit your operation, contact Cortech today.