Survey Shows Ties Between Industrial Safety, Security and Operational Improvements

Rockwell Automation

 

October 2, 2018

Industrial companies are using safety to not only mitigate risks but also to improve productivity and profitability, according to a survey by LNS Research. The survey finds organizations are using the three core elements of safety maturity – which include safety culture, procedures and technologies – to avoid safety incidents and improve business performance. In addition, risk management increasingly includes both safety and security risks.

From a culture standpoint, the survey found that organizations in which EHS, operations and engineering collaborate to improve all aspects of safety reported a median incident rate 15 percent lower than those without this collaboration. Organizations with cross-functional safety collaboration were also found to have a 12-percent better on-time delivery performance.

On the technology side, 75 percent of industrial companies said they have seen operational improvements resulting from the use of advanced safety technology. Similarly, 60 percent of respondents said they have seen financial improvements resulting from the use of advanced safety technology.

“The LNS Research survey shows that best-in-class manufacturers are making industrial safety a pathway to operational excellence,” said Lee Lane, vice president, safety, sensing and connectivity at Rockwell Automation. “These top performers use contemporary safety technologies, make safety a company-wide value and use standard processes to design safety and productivity into machinery.”

In 2013, Rockwell Automation introduced the Safety Maturity Index for end users to measure and improve safety performance. Many best-in-class companies use the tool today. Rockwell Automation also introduced a version for machine builders to help them create machines that deliver productivity gains and comply with modern safety standards.

The LNS Survey results also support OEMs building safer machines, as 20 percent of respondents said they are willing to pay a premium for increased safety performance.

Challenges to Safety Maturity
While the LNS Research survey results confirm that many industrial companies are improving safety maturity, they also identify areas where manufacturers are falling short.

Culture: About half of respondents (49 percent) claim that safety is viewed as a core value across all levels of their organization. However, only 19 percent said their organization has C-level commitment to make the necessary investments in safety. This disconnect indicates that many companies do not have a culture that is fully supportive of safety.

Additionally, only one in four respondents said their EHS, operations and engineering EHS teams effectively collaborate to improve all aspects of safety.

Technologies: Almost half of respondents (49 percent) said top challenges to improving EHS performance included disparate systems and data sources. Meanwhile, almost two-thirds (64 percent) of respondents said they have not implemented dedicated EHS software. This indicates there is a big opportunity for companies to use modern information-management technology to better manage their safety performance.

Only 24 percent of respondents said they use lockout/tagout alternatives to improve operational performance. And even fewer (11 percent) said their organization is using industrial IoT technologies to holistically manage operations and safety. However, 20 percent said they will start using industrial IoT technologies this way in the next 12 months, and 17 percent said they will require that new equipment be smart and connected within that same time period.

Procedures: Widely adopted standards call for a lifecycle approach to risk management which can help companies address risks in their equipment and production from design to retirement. However, only 28 percent of respondents said they use such an approach. What’s more, only 27 percent of respondents said they use a lifecycle approach to safety-system management.

A full report on the LNS Research survey, which includes recommendations for how manufacturers can use safety maturity to drive operational excellence, is available here.

For more information Rockwell Automation Inc.

 

 

Related Articles


Changing Scene

  • Andreas Sobotta to Assume Role of Vice President North and South America for Pilz Automation

    Andreas Sobotta to Assume Role of Vice President North and South America for Pilz Automation

    Pilz Automation Safety Canada L.P. announces that their long-term CEO and GM, Andreas Sobotta, will assume the role of Vice President North and South America, effective immediately. He will still work from the Canadian office in Mississauga and visit all other subsidiaries in North and South America. Pilz will take their time to find a… Read More…

  • SEW-Eurodrive: MAXOLUTION System Solutions

    SEW-Eurodrive: MAXOLUTION System Solutions

    Whether in production or logistics operations, MAXOLUTION is synonymous with innovation in factory automation – across all industries and worldwide – helping you achieve your vision of an adaptable and resilient lean smart factory. Under the MAXOLUTION brand, SEW-EURODRIVE creates customized solutions for cutting-edge materials handling technology – from the shop floor through to IT.… Read More…


Sponsored Content
The Easy Way to the Industrial IoT

The way to the Industrial IoT does not have to be complicated. Whether access to valuable data is required or new, data-driven services are to be generated, Weidmuller enables its customers to go from data to value the easy way. Weidmuller’s comprehensive and cutting-edge IIoT portfolio applies to greenfield and brownfield applications. Weidmuller offers components and solutions from data acquisition, data pre-processing, data communication and data analysis.

Visit Weidmuller’s Industrial IoT Portfolio.


ADVANCED Motion Controls Takes Servo Drives to New Heights (and Depths) with FlexPro Extended Environment Product Line

Advanced Motion Controls is proud to announce the addition of six new CANopen servo drives with Extended Environment capabilities to their FlexPro line. These new drives join AMC’s existing EtherCAT Extended Environment FlexPro drives, making the FlexPro line the go-to solution for motion control applications in harsh environments.

Many motion control applications take place in conditions that are less than ideal, such as extreme temperatures, high and low pressures, shocks and vibrations, and contamination. Electronics, including servo drives, can malfunction or sustain permanent damage in these conditions.

Read More


Service Wire Co. Announces New Titles for Key Executives

Bruce Kesler and Mark Gatewood have been given new titles and responsibilities for Service Wire Co.

Bruce Kesler has assumed the role of Senior Director – Business Development. Bruce will be responsible for Service Wire’s largest strategic accounts and our growing Strategic Accounts Team.

Mark Gatewood has been promoted to the role of Vice President – Sales & Marketing. In this role, Gatewood will lead the efforts of Service Wire Company’s entire sales and marketing organization in all market verticals.

Read More


Tri-Mach Announces the Purchase of an Additional 45,000 sq ft. Facility

Tri-Mach Elmira Facility

Recently, Tri-Mach Inc. was thrilled to announce the addition of a new 45,000 sq ft. facility. Located at 285 Union St., Elmira, ON, this facility expands Tri-Mach’s capabilities, allowing them to better serve the growing needs of their customers.

Positioning for growth, this additional facility will allow Tri-Mach to continue taking on large-scale projects, enhance product performance testing, and provide equipment storage for their customers. The building will also be the new home to their Skilled Trades Centre of Excellence.

Read More


JMP Parent Company, CONVERGIX Acquires AGR Automation, Expanding Global Reach

Convergix Automation Solutions has completed the acquisition of AGR Automation (“AGR”), a UK-based provider of custom, high-performance automation design and systems integration primarily to the life sciences industry.

Following Convergix’s acquisitions of JMP Solutions in August 2021 and Classic Design in February 2022, AGR marks the third investment in Crestview’s strategy to build Convergix into a diversified automation solutions provider targeting the global $500+ billion market, with a particular focus on the $70 billion global systems integration and connectivity segments. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Read More


Latest Articles

  • Making the Sustainable Transformation of the Process Industry a Success

    Making the Sustainable Transformation of the Process Industry a Success

    By Krystie Johnston and Dr. Manfred Jagiella – Sustainability facilitates opportunity when approached with a mindset to preserve resources and promote circularity. We share one Earth, and it is our global responsibility to care for it for the next generation. Endress+Hauser is one global company that understands this responsibility – and practices it as well.… Read More…

  • Why NOARK’s 12VDC Shunt Trip Coils for MCCBs Make Power Systems Reliable and Safer

    Why NOARK’s 12VDC Shunt Trip Coils for MCCBs Make Power Systems Reliable and Safer

    Circuit breakers are an essential component of any modern electrical system. Designed to protect your home or business from potential overloads or short circuits, these devices are your first line of defense against electrical fires. There are, however, situations where remote tripping of the circuit breaker may be required. It could be for operational reasons,… Read More…