On paper, palletizing appears to be like like a fundamental activity: stack containers, repeat. In actuality, it’s one of many most injury-prone jobs in manufacturing—and one of many best to automate.
For those who’re in search of a low-risk, high-reward place to start out with automation, look no additional than the tip of your line. Right here’s why guide palletizing is inflicting extra harm than you suppose—and the way automation turns it right into a strategic benefit.
One employee, one hour, limitless danger
Meet Julia. She works in packaging and spends a part of her shift lifting containers onto pallets. Some weigh 12 lbs, others extra. On a very good day, she handles over 700 lifts in a single hour. No twisting, simply repetitive movement—again and again.
Now zoom out.
Multiply Julia’s routine throughout a number of employees, throughout a number of shifts. Then add:
- Fatigue
- Missed rotations
- No time for breaks
- Various field weights and pallet heights
This is not only a powerful job; it is a setup for accidents. And never the type that heal in a single day. We’re speaking muscle strains, nerve harm, power again ache, and long-term incapacity. It’s no marvel guide palletizing ranks excessive on the harm charts.
The maths behind the mayhem
Let’s break it down:
- 33% of overexertion accidents come from lifting/decreasing duties.
- Accidents to the again and shoulders account for 79% of those circumstances.
- One single pressure harm can value a enterprise $67,000+.
- The oblique value (productiveness loss, turnover, morale) can push that over $2 million in misplaced gross sales.
Guide palletizing doesn’t simply pressure your group. It quietly eats away at your revenue margins and manufacturing reliability.
The repair? Take away the danger fully
In contrast to different complicated automation tasks, palletizing is a no brainer. It’s repetitive. It’s constant. It’s begging for a cobot.
Right here’s what occurs once you automate:
✅ You eradicate the ergonomic danger altogether
✅ Your employees transfer into safer, higher-value duties
✅ You get predictable efficiency and fewer downtime
✅ You future-proof considered one of your most weak processes
And with Robotiq Palletizing Options, setup takes just some days. No customized engineering. No further coding. Only a safer, extra productive line.
Why this issues now
Labor shortages. Insurance coverage hikes. Tight margins. For those who’re feeling the strain, you’re not alone, and guide palletizing isn’t serving to. Each harm is a setback. Each delay, a value.
However with automation, each pallet turns into a possibility to do higher.
Take the subsequent step
💻 Do not miss our Ergonomics webinar with licensed security professional Carla Silver – register right now!
📘 Want extra particulars and statistics? Obtain our Ergonomics book, additionally by Carla Silver.
