Using Functional Safety to Improve Food Processing Productivity
September 30, 2021
Functional safety is a system designed to prevent dangerous failures automatically. When these failures are not preventable, functional safety components work together to control the resulting risk and hazards. Functional safety exists to keep workers safe and production environments free from or at an acceptable level of risk. However, a secondary impact of functional safety systems includes an increased efficiency of production within manufacturing plants.
As food processing involves materials intended for consumption, a failure to maintain hygienic, safe standards within your facility can have dire consequences for end users. Contaminated food substances will cause illness, infection, or death. Food safety must be a top priority while working within the food processing industry.
Using certified products can make the process of designing a food processing machine more straightforward for design engineers. These functional safety components provide essential data, including mean time to failure, while decreasing the work and cost demanded from the OEM upgrading a food processing machine. These machine safety components can include:
To get started on creating functional safety to improve food processing efficiency, contact us today.
Functional safety is a system designed to prevent dangerous failures automatically. When these failures are not preventable, functional safety components work together to control the resulting risk and hazards. Functional safety exists to keep workers safe and production environments free from or at an acceptable level of risk. However, a secondary impact of functional safety systems includes an increased efficiency of production within manufacturing plants.
Why Functional Safety Matters in Food Processing
Functional safety is important in every industry, but it is critical when considering food processing applications. Whether you’re running a food processing plant or are an OEM designing machines to use within food and beverage manufacturing, creating active safety systems and processes to minimize risk is paramount.Functional Safety Ratings in Food Processing
The effectiveness of your functional safety system is measured using Safety Integrity Levels (SIL). SILs are categorized as either Level 1, Level 2, or Level 3. The levels are determined through the following factors:- Severity of harm
- Frequency and time exposed to a hazard
- Possibility of a hazard occurring
- Possibility of avoiding or limiting harm
What Happens When Functional Safety is Neglected or Fails?
Even with a robust functional safety system in place, food processing facilities are dangerous places. Machines are designed to cut and slice while operating at extremely high temperatures. If your functional safety system is incorrectly designed, your risk assessment is skipped, or your machine sensors are not maintained, you can soon be dealing with workplace injuries, employee amputations, or death.As food processing involves materials intended for consumption, a failure to maintain hygienic, safe standards within your facility can have dire consequences for end users. Contaminated food substances will cause illness, infection, or death. Food safety must be a top priority while working within the food processing industry.
Can I Replace Older Food Safety Components with Newer Ones to Increase Functional Safety?
Yes. This technique can instantly raise your facility’s safety rating and improve your overall functional safety level. As newer components are usually more sophisticated and can cut down on the number of safety devices in use, replacing older safety components can create a more efficient food processing plant with improved food safety.Using certified products can make the process of designing a food processing machine more straightforward for design engineers. These functional safety components provide essential data, including mean time to failure, while decreasing the work and cost demanded from the OEM upgrading a food processing machine. These machine safety components can include:
How to Improve Food Processing Productivity with Functional Safety Components
Creating safer environments has the fortunate side effect of increasing productivity. By minimizing the time machines spend inoperable and minimizing worker injuries, you can improve your overall food processing output while establishing food safety.Minimize Machine Shutdowns
Keeping machines hygienic and maintaining cleanliness standards is a time-consuming process. The standard method involves shutting down the machine, cleaning the accessible parts, stepping back, rotating relevant components, and repeating until every surface is cleaned. However, using a functional safety system that utilizes proper food and beverage sensors, the machine can operate at a slower pace and continue production during the cleaning process without heightening risk for workers. Production is briefly slowed instead of fully stopped.Minimize Worker Injuries
When an unacceptable injury such as amputation occurs, production halts. Worker morale is impacted. If that employee cannot return to work, a new worker must be hired, trained, and developed. All of this will diminish the efficiency and safety of your food processing operation. By implementing and maintaining your functional food safety system, you can keep workers safe, happy, and producing output at a steady rate.High-Quality Machine Safety Components to Improve Food Processing Efficiency
If you’re interested in learning more about implementing functional machine safety to improve food processing efficiency in your food and beverage manufacturing plant, elobau can help. For nearly fifty years, we have been one of the world’s foremost suppliers of safety sensors and functional safety resources. Check out our blog or read about machine safety standards in your region to find out more.To get started on creating functional safety to improve food processing efficiency, contact us today.