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Understanding safety in nonroutine work

When a safety program is well-executed and well-maintained, it becomes part of a company’s core values and culture. Employee well-being is paramount, and no production schedule is worth a safety mishap.

Mark Hanley is a senior asset reliability manager at Land O’Lakes.
Mark Hanley is a senior asset reliability manager at Land O’Lakes.

With a tight job market and the growing need for skilled workers, retaining qualified operators is paramount. Keeping workers safe on the plant floor requires a strong commitment to training and communication. Land O’Lakes’ Senior Asset Reliability Manager Mark Hanley provides insight on how food and beverage manufacturers can implement effective worker safety programs.  

PFW: How does Land O’Lakes address worker safety? 

Hanley: One of our company’s focuses is understanding the safety involved with nonroutine work. To do this, we look at aligning with the Worker Safety Readiness tool from PMMI’s OpX Leadership Network. We look at the safety culture and the safety plan we adhere to, both with behavior and equipment. 

One of the questions that comes up is: What is nonroutine work? Nonroutine work is anything that is not planned or scheduled, such as predictive maintenance, preventive maintenance or planned work, where you have the job safety analysis already written. 

In other words, it’s a breakdown or emergency, blockages or jams, or it could also involve new employees doing a task that they’re not familiar with or in an unfamiliar location. 

PFW: How do you define a safety program?

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