On paper, palletizing appears like a primary activity: stack packing containers, repeat. In actuality, it’s one of many most injury-prone jobs in manufacturing—and one of many best to automate.
When you’re searching for a low-risk, high-reward place to begin with automation, look no additional than the tip of your line. Right here’s why handbook palletizing is inflicting extra harm than you assume—and the way automation turns it right into a strategic benefit.
One employee, one hour, infinite danger
Meet Julia. She works in packaging and spends a part of her shift lifting packing containers onto pallets. Some weigh 12 lbs, others extra. On a superb day, she handles over 700 lifts in a single hour. No twisting, simply repetitive movement—time 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 robust job; it is a setup for accidents. And never the sort that heal in a single day. We’re speaking muscle strains, nerve harm, persistent again ache, and long-term incapacity. It’s no surprise handbook palletizing ranks excessive on the harm charts.
The mathematics 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 instances.
- One single pressure harm can price a enterprise $67,000+.
- The oblique price (productiveness loss, turnover, morale) can push that over $2 million in misplaced gross sales.
Handbook palletizing doesn’t simply pressure your staff. It quietly eats away at your revenue margins and manufacturing reliability.
The repair? Take away the danger solely
In contrast to different complicated automation initiatives, palletizing is a no brainer. It’s repetitive. It’s constant. It’s begging for a cobot.
Right here’s what occurs if you automate:
✅ You get rid of the ergonomic danger altogether
✅ Your employees transfer into safer, higher-value duties
✅ You get predictable efficiency and fewer downtime
✅ You future-proof one in every of your most weak processes
And with Robotiq Palletizing Options, setup takes only a few days. No customized engineering. No additional coding. Only a safer, extra productive line.
Why this issues now
Labor shortages. Insurance coverage hikes. Tight margins. When you’re feeling the stress, you’re not alone, and handbook palletizing isn’t serving to. Each harm is a setback. Each delay, a value.
However with automation, each pallet turns into a chance 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.
