Pallet Stacking Safety: 5 MSD Facts Revealed

Safety is paramount in the factory. Everyone wants their team members to be healthy and ready to do their jobs. Injuries are the most undesirable outcome, usually falling into two categories: immediate and progressive.

Immediate injuries such as a cut, burn, or broken bone require immediate medical attention. Manufacturing plants have personal protective equipment (PPE) and safety protocols to prevent these injuries. Alternatively, progressive injury accumulates over time and may be more difficult to alleviate. Some of these progressive injuries include hearing loss, respiratory problems, and musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).

This blog article will look at pallet stacking safety and how this manual task increases the risks of musculoskeletal disorders. We will present 5 important facts and focus on safety in three key sectors: Food and Beverage, Pharmaceutical Industry and Consumer Goods Manufacturing.

Fact 1: UK 149.3 million working days lost to MSDs in 2021 (1)

How palletizing systems reduce MSDs in tertiary food and beverage packaging

Fact 2: The incidence of MSDs in the United States was 25.4 days per 10,000 full-time (FTE) workers in 2020 (2)

Working in food production is dangerous. While the industry has seen some successful automation, food and beverage production encompasses a remarkably diverse range of products that make full automation challenging. Food and beverage production includes powders (sugar, flour, spices, baby food), liquids (soda, wine, cooking oils, dressings, sauces), dry products (cereals, nuts, coffee) and perishable products (fruits, vegetables, cheeses). Thick products (such as drinks and powders) can be cumbersome. Other products (such as liquids) can shift when moving, making it more dangerous for a person to lift overhead or move below the waist. When it comes to palletizing products, it requires picking and placing two key moves: arching of the back and shoulders.

Low back pain increases when back flexion is prolonged in mild (20° to 40°) and severe (>45°) positions (reported University of Buffalo) or extreme back flexion (>60° to the kinesiology clinic in University of Waterloo). Manual palletizing of food or liquids exposes people to both. Those who have experienced back pain know that recovery can take a long time.

Fact 3: Injured workers in the US took a median of 14 days to return to work (2)

However, the introduction of collaborative robot (cobot) systems into palletizing operations offers a promising solution. By taking the physical and repetitive strain of placing products on pallets, cobots reduce the risk of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) associated with palletizing tasks. For example, these cobots can perform long horizontal and high vertical reaches that would be dangerous for a human worker.

As the food industry grapples with the inherent challenges of automation throughout the value stream, integrating cobots into palletizing operations represents a proactive step to increase workplace safety and reduce the incidence of MSDs.

Pallet stacking safety in pharmaceutical production

Like food and beverage manufacturing, pharmaceutical manufacturing encompasses a wide range of products. It includes products such as:

1. Solid medications: These include tablets, capsules, capsules and pills, often in blisters, bottles or jars.
2. Liquid medications: Pharmaceutical liquids such as syrups, suspensions, solutions and oral liquids are packaged in bottles, vials, ampoules or sachets.
3. Powders and granules: Powders and granules may be packaged in bags, pouches, bottles or jars and may include products such as antibiotics, diet and protein powders or granules for oral administration.
4. Injection: Injectable drugs, treatments, and vaccines come in vials, ampoules, or prefilled syringes. Due to the method of administration, they require special packaging and handling.
5. Local treatment: This category includes creams, ointments, gels, lotions and patches. They are packed in tubes, jars or bags.
6. Sterile products for single use: Intravenous (IV) bags, needles, infusion solutions, masks, gloves, face shields, and surgical kits require special packaging to maintain sterility.
7. Over-the-counter (OTC) medications: OTC medications can come in a variety of forms, but do not require a prescription. These include pain relievers, cough syrups, antacids, and allergy medications.

Due to the diversity of pharmaceutical products, packaging can vary significantly in size, shape and weight. Some products are heavy, which poses a risk to workers who manually place them on pallets.

Fact 4: 15-20% of UK working days lost due to MSDs in 2021 (1)

In addition, automated palletizing systems play a vital role in protecting the palletized product. Due to their often high value and delicate nature, minimizing product waste and damage is a priority after worker safety. Automated palletizers ensure accurate, consistent handling and palletizing, reducing the risk of accidental damage. By implementing automated palletizing systems, pharmaceutical manufacturers can not only increase worker safety, but also ensure product quality and integrity, ultimately contributing to operational efficiency and regulatory compliance.

Reduction of material handling risks in the production of consumer goods

In consumer goods manufacturing, the manufacturing environment is dynamic, with the processing and packaging of a wide variety of products. Consumables include a variety of items, including:

1. Household products: cleaning products, filters, pots, pans
2. Office products: Printer ink, pens, pencils, paper, extension cables
3. Electronics and appliancesAdditional equipment: coffee machine, headphones, laptop battery
4. Personal care products: cosmetics, hair care, oral hygiene products

Manual palletizing in the production of consumer goods presents additional safety risks for workers. Products rise on pallets, requiring employees to place products both below and above waist level. This practice increases the likelihood of musculoskeletal injuries, especially when handling heavy or bulky objects. Lifting, climbing, pushing, pulling and turning are the primary manual material handling (MMH) movements that pose a risk for back and shoulder injuries.

Fact 5: MSDs are responsible for around $50 billion in annual costs in the US (3)

Automated palletizing systems offer a solution to these problems by reducing the reliance on manual labor and minimizing the associated risks to humans. By automating the palletizing process, these systems reduce the physical strain on workers and create a safer work environment. They can efficiently and accurately handle a wide variety of consumer products and ensure proper stacking and palletizing without the risk of human error.

Conclusion

Providing people with a safe working environment is a top priority for food and beverage, pharmaceutical and consumer goods manufacturers. Injuries, whether immediate or progressive, pose significant risks to workers and can result in significant loss of workdays and productivity. Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are among the progressive injuries that can result from manual tasks such as pallet stacking, particularly prevalent in food and beverage, pharmaceutical and consumer goods manufacturing.

Through a discussion of five essential facts, it is clear that physical exertion, including repetitive motions, inappropriate positions, and overexertion, significantly increases the risk of MSDs. However, the integration of automation (such as collaborative robotic systems) offers a promising solution to mitigate these risks. Cobots can handle the physical effort of palletizing tasks, reduce the likelihood of MSDs, increase the safety of pallet stacking, and increase overall workplace safety.

Overall, by incorporating automation into palletizing operations, industries can create a safer work environment, protect worker health, and improve operational efficiency, ultimately leading to greater productivity and success.

The future is secure

At Robotiq, we follow principles LEAN ROBOTICS create a standardized solution that is more easily scalable, repeatable and easy to use. We facilitate the transition from manual palletizing to automated palletizing.

Implementation is easier than you think. Talk to one of our automation experts today and get your project started. (Your people will thank you).

If you’re ready to take the step toward automating your end-of-line process, our FREE Automated Palletization Buyer’s Guide provides insider tips on how to find the best automated palletizing solution for your business.