Three experts weigh in on hazard protection, personal protective equipment, fall protection and other safety topics.
Learning objectives
- Understand how engineering controls, passive systems and automation can improve safety by reducing worker exposure to common industrial hazards.
- Know how training, hazard assessment and lockout/tagout procedures support safety performance and regulatory compliance in manufacturing facilities.
- Recognize how emerging technologies, proactive planning and continuous improvement can strengthen safety programs for fall protection, electrical hazards and PPE use.
Safety insights
- Current hazard protection trends emphasize safety through engineering controls, passive fall protection, automation and stronger lockout/tagout practices that reduce worker exposure and improve operational performance.
- Future priorities center on proactive safety upgrades, continuous training, smarter PPE and inspection technologies and broader use of risk assessment and compliance processes to address electrical hazards, fall risks and material handling challenges.
Respondents:
Lanny Floyd, PE, CSP, CESCP, CMRP, CRL
IEEE Life Fellow
Electrical Safety Group
Elkton, Maryland
Philip Jacklin, QSSP, OSHA-30
Continuing Education Program Manager
Diversified Fall Protection
Westlake, Ohio
Stephen Kelly, CSP
Senior EHS Manager
Hyster-Yale Materials Handling
Greenville, North Carolina
What are some of the current hazard protection trends for industrial and manufacturing facilities?
Lanny Floyd: Trends include eliminating or reducing frequency/severity of exposure through engineering design solutions.
Philip Jacklin: We are seeing more facilities embracing passive forms of fall protection, like guardrail, instead of automatically using fall arrest equipment. Passive systems are more effective, simpler to use and, most importantly, virtually eliminate the chance of a fall occurring.
Stephen Kelly: As the materials handling industry continues to embrace automation, we must thoughtfully evaluate technologies and consider the effect on both safety and performance. When implemented effectively, automation creates a winโwinโwin: reducing physical strain on employees, improving product quality and increasing both productivity and cost efficiency. By staying proactive and intentional, we can leverage these advancements to better protect our workforce while strengthening our operations and overall business success. Automated material handling options are an example of the way technologies can lead to a win for safety programs.
What future trends should engineers, plant managers and designers expect for hazard protection?
Philip Jacklin: We anticipate seeing more businesses get proactive on updating their fixed ladder fall protection. While the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) is considering changing the 2036 deadline, currently all fixed ladders 24 feet or greater (20 feet in California) must be equipped with a ladder safety system.
Describe a project in which you had to design or modify systems to protect from a hazardous environment. What were the challenges and solutions?
Stephen Kelly: One project currently in its early phases at our facility involves highโvoltage electrical systems. While we initially focused on training, personal protective equipment (PPE) and physical safeguards, we realized that the most critical element for protecting our employees is a wellโdesigned and disciplined lockout/tagout (LO/TO) program tailored to the product weโre manufacturing.
Lanny Floyd: Reducing exposure to hazardous electrical energy through segregation and isolation in cabinet design.
Philip Jacklin: As a nationwide fall protection provider, thatโs what we do every single day. If a rooftop has an unprotected edge, it has an infinite amount of potential fall hazards around the perimeter. However, we work with employers to understand what type of work happens near their fall hazards so that we can offer a range of solutions, from basic OSHA-compliant to fully comprehensive and preventative.
Tell us about a recent hazard protection project youโve worked on thatโs innovative, large-scale or otherwise noteworthy. Please tell us about the location, plans your team engineered, key players, interesting challenges or solutions and other significant details.
Philip Jacklin: We recently had a project in Kenton, Ohio, where an overhead truss system was going to be too close to live overhead power line, violating OSHA. Our engineers had to fabricate custom โhockey-stickโ trusses to stay at least 10 feet away from the power line.
What are some of the key challenges for improving electric hazard protection at your facility and what strategies/best practices have you implemented to help ensure success?
Stephen Kelly: When improving electrical hazard protection in a facility, training, PPE, insulated tools, LO/TO and equipment inspections are all critical.
However, when the product being manufactured itself introduces electrical risk, it creates a unique challenge. To address this, we implemented a detailed LO/TO process combined with a stepโbyโstep verification procedure, requiring operators to use a meter to confirm expected voltage and resistance readings. These readings are documented and reviewed by an electrical engineer before any locks are removed and the system is energized, enhancing safety throughout the manufacturing process.
Lanny Floyd: Justifying cost is a common challenge.
What new or advanced technologies do you plan to implement at your facility?
Stephen Kelly: We utilize forklifts with operator-assist systems that help support pedestrian safety and lift truck stability. We are also embracing lithiumโion technology and have begun manufacturing lithiumโion batteries as a product offering, while also electrifying highโcapacity forklifts that were previously powered by internal combustion engines. This represents an exciting advancement for this class of lift truck, bringing new opportunities for efficiency, performance and sustainability.
What types of succession planning does your safety team do to ensure new staff understand hazard protection?
Philip Jacklin: For our clients, we recommend frequent fall protection training to keep the topic โtop of mindโ for employees. New hires at a facility should receive monthly refresher trainings to make sure they understand how dangerous falls can be. Despite years of growing awareness, falls are still one of the most common causes of injury and fatality in the workplace.
Provide an overview of the top potential hazards that exist in manufacturing and industrial facilities?
Lanny Floyd: In my work, hazards include electrical safety, working at heights and heavy material handling.
Philip Jacklin: Weโre primarily concerned about falls and for good reason. They kill two to three workers every day and are almost 100% preventable. No matter the function, almost all manufacturing and industrial facilities have several indoor and rooftop fall hazards to mitigate. Itโs one of the most common hazards within every industry.
How do you stay updated on the latest safety regulations and industry best practices related to hazard protection in manufacturing and industrial settings?
Lanny Floyd: I promote engagement in external profession safety organizations.
Philip Jacklin: Iโm a firm believer in the power of networking. I chat with American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) members frequently to stay updated and also often seek guidance the National Safety Council (NSC).
What measures do you take to ensure all employees are adequately trained and aware of the hazards they may encounter in their specific roles within the facility and how often does this occur?
Philip Jacklin: Every worker must go through โauthorized personโ training before they are permitted to use fall protection equipment. While I donโt think there is such a thing as too much fall protection training, Iโd recommend monthly or weekly โtoolbox talksโ regarding falls, with an annual or semiannual refresher training to maintain awareness for all authorized persons.
Lanny Floyd: Hazard identification and risk assessment processes.
Stephen Kelly: As part of our ISO 45001:2018: Occupational health and safety management systems certification, we stay current on regulatory changes that may impact our facility. To support this, we subscribe to a service that provides updates on applicable regulations for our location. In addition, we conduct an annual compliance assurance audit covering both safety and environmental requirements. This process enables us to consistently evaluate our practices against all applicable regulations and remain compliant.
How do you monitor and assess the effectiveness of hazard protection measures in your facility and what steps do you take to continuously improve safety?
Philip Jacklin: One of the best ways is to communicate with your employees their feelings on the matter. The safest solutions are always the ones employees will use correctly, each and every time. Frequent trainings give employees the opportunity to voice concerns, raise objections and offer insights into what might improve their compliance with protocol.
Lanny Floyd: Facilities should never assume that compliance alone will achieve the level of safety desired.
What role do engineering controls play in creating protective environments? Can you provide examples of engineering controls implemented in your facility to mitigate hazards?
Lanny Floyd: Examples include touch-safe terminals, remote racking/switching and infrared windows/ports on electrical equipment.
Philip Jacklin: Guardrail is the most effective form of fall protection, besides hazard elimination. Additionally, it doesnโt even have to be permanently mounted to be OSHA compliant or effective. Free-standing guardrail is one of the quickest to deploy, easy to install and will keep workers safe from unprotected edges.
To what extent do equipment maintenance and durability pose challenges for your PPE and fall protection programs?
Philip Jacklin: Employers must ensure workers are inspecting their fall protection equipment every time they use it and empower them to communicate when they identify damage or defect. Employers must also ensure they have a clear process on what to do when fall protection equipment fails inspection.
What role do you foresee for artificial intelligence (AI) and/or augmented reality (AR) in future PPE and fall protection training programs?
Philip Jacklin: AI can help bolster training modules by cross-referencing relevant local, state, federal and any industry-specific OSHA regulations and ensuring those factors are included in the training. AI could also be helpful in analyzing inspection data to realize trends or patterns of failure that a human might overlook.
