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.
If you happen to’re in search of a low-risk, high-reward place to begin with automation, look no additional than the top of your line. Right here’s why guide palletizing is inflicting extra injury than you suppose—and the way automation turns it right into a strategic benefit.
One employee, one hour, countless 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 an excellent 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 staff, 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 type that heal in a single day. We’re speaking muscle strains, nerve injury, persistent again ache, and long-term incapacity. It’s no surprise guide palletizing ranks excessive on the damage 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 damage 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 chance completely
Not like 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 once you automate:
✅ You get rid of the ergonomic danger altogether
✅ Your staff transfer into safer, higher-value duties
✅ You get predictable efficiency and fewer downtime
✅ You future-proof one in all your most susceptible 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. If you happen to’re feeling the stress, you’re not alone, and guide palletizing isn’t serving to. Each damage is a setback. Each delay, a price.
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 knowledgeable Carla Silver – register immediately!
📘 Want extra particulars and statistics? Obtain our Ergonomics book, additionally by Carla Silver.
