SPONSORED: Four Tips Enhance Safety, Ensure Compliance

Erin Bala, Director of Brand Management and Innovation, WD-40 Co.

By Erin Bala, Director of Brand Management and Innovation, WD-40 Co.  

For manufacturers, safety is top of mind—and for good reason. Maintaining a safe work environment is key to not only keeping employees out of harm’s way, but also reducing risk, avoiding downtime, and ensuring operations are compliant and run smoothly. 

The most-common injuries include overexertion, falls, slips and trips, and exposure to harmful substances or environments. In fact, each year 95,000 deaths occur from long-term occupational illnesses that include cancer, respiratory and circulatory disease, and other conditions linked to hazardous exposures, according to the National Council on Occupational Safety and Health (COSH). 

At WD-40 Co., we formulate products to be as safe as possible for people and the environment and ensure regulatory compliance for plant operators. We also value making things better than they are today. In addition, implementing these tips can make operations even safer: 

• Ensure employees have the right safety equipment: While the world became familiar with the term Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in 2020, manufacturing plants are no stranger to PPE. From eyewear and headphones to skin protection and, of course, masks, ensuring teams have the proper PPE for the job will help keep them safe. 

• Clean responsibly: While some cleaners can pose risk, WD-40 Specialist® Cleaner & Degreaser is safer than other degreasers on the market, meeting the EPA’s Safer Choice Certification criteria for safety and efficacy. Formulated with a unique bio-solvent that quickly breaks through tough grease and grime, the product also protects against flash rust and is safe for use on sensitive surfaces. All WD-40® Brand products are formulated with clean solvents and oils that have been treated to remove harmful chemical contaminants.

• Maintain equipment: WD-40® Brand products can help maintain facility assets, which can reduce accidents and injuries. Use WD-40 Specialist® Silicone to lubricate, waterproof, and protect metal and non-metal surfaces. The industrial formula—like all WD-40® Brand products—is 50-state VOC compliant. It also delivers ultimate lubrication for less-frequent reapplications. Keep rust away with WD-40 Specialist® Rust Remover Soak, which safely and effectively removes rust without acids or caustic chemicals. The formula is non-toxic, contains no VOCs, and doesn’t harm surfaces. By using these and other WD-40® Brand products, facilities can be confident their products are safety compliant, thus relieving stress of audits and the time and cost of dealing with potential legal and regulatory issues.

• Foster a culture of safety: Make safety more of a priority by talking about its importance on an ongoing basis. Offer ongoing training to ensure safety is top of mind. Encourage employees to look for ways to improve safety, and voice safety concerns with supervisors. A strong safety culture will help stop accidents from happening and lead to increased efficiency and lower risk. 

A focus on safety ensures benefits for all. At WD-40® Co., San Diego (wd40.com), product safety and consumer health are of the highest priority. Click here and take our safety training program to help get the job done right.