Labor challenges are far from a new issue for food processors.
It started in the mid-1970s, when workers began leaving the industry for less physically demanding, yet higher-paying opportunities in other sectors. The COVID pandemic exacerbated the issue when absentee rates soared–one processor noting their rates spiked 50% after the pandemic.
It’s not just production that is affected. Shortages and retention issues also impact maintenance, sanitation and packaging. Since each department affects the throughput and efficiency of the next, processors often see their challenges multiply across their facility, compounding the negative effects.
Product transfer and material handling are often the most labor-intensive activities in the facility. Add the fact that many deli meat, sausage, cheese and similar processors require multiple manual transfers before packaging, and it’s easy to imagine the domino effect one absent team member can have on the organization.
Is automation the only solution? Let’s find out.
Automation is More than Robotics
It’s a common misconception that automating a process means installing a robot, vision system or another operator-free cell.
But automation also refers to a wide range of equipment solutions that can reduce labor and repetitive behaviors and streamline material handling. Many successful automation projects focus on improving product flow, not replacing production lines. Instead, simply addressing bottlenecks, repetitive tasks and other workforce challenges can provide a great return on investment (ROI).
Racks Still Causing Bottlenecks
Many food processors have already automated tasks like forming, conveying, processing, slicing and packaging. Yet, they still use manual labor to load and unload racks of product logs for cooking, freezing or packaging.
Deli meat, sausages, cheese and plant-based protein are often packaged in casings to create logs up to 6’ long. The logs are manually loaded on the racks that are then rolled into a room for smoking, curing or chilling/freezing, after which they are manually unloaded for the next stage. Raw or uncooked, the logs are heavy and awkward to handle, increasing the potential for strains and other work-related injuries.
As you can see, the rack itself isn’t inefficient or unsafe. The processes on either side are.
Unloading Presents Unique Challenges
When unloading racks, workers often perform a variety of injury-inducing actions over and over again. They reach in, pull, twist and lift product over and over again. Not only that, but they will have to lean over to pick up lower-rack items, and possibly stretch to remove items from the top rack tiers.
Plus, the products are often cold, wet, slippery and heavy.
Workers may repeat these same motions on these products hundreds or thousands of times a shift. It poses huge risks of injury or product damage.
OSHA warns that forceful exertion, awkward postures, repetitive motion and extended reaching are all major ergonomic risk factors that can result in serious injuries.
Manually unloading logs combines all four of those risk factors over and over again.
In other words, it’s constant exposure to risks every shift.
Injuries Aren’t the Only Worry
Ergonomics discussions often center around injuries and the consequences of a hurt worker. For good reason–Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) account for more than 30% of all cases requiring missed work.
But repetitive, “back-breaking” work can have other negative effects on processors.
Workers become fatigued before injuries occur. Less energy translates into more breaks, slower movements and, ultimately, reduced productivity. In addition, the physical strain of performing repetitive tasks every day erodes morale and retention. Not only does this increase the risk of losing team members, but it also makes strained and tired team members less careful or safe.
Plus, processing lines are continually trying to move more and more product through. As line speeds increase, so does the risk of fatigue and injuries.
Automating isn’t just about preventing injuries, it’s also about reducing exposure and risks.
Retention is a Competitive Advantage
The public sees food processors regularly compete for retail dollars and space. But what they don’t see is the competition going on behind the scenes–the ongoing efforts to draw and retain valuable team members.
Since the ‘70s, food processors have gone through numerous changes that have made retaining team members harder. In the ’70s, there were more unions that helped keep wages competitive. Lines ran slower. And there was a large domestic workforce.
Companies have consolidated, removing market competition and lowering wages. Lines have sped up, resulting in higher rates of injuries.
Workers regularly consider other, less strenuous alternatives, such as warehouses, logistics, distribution and advanced manufacturing. Many of these options offer better pay and less heavy lifting.
It’s no surprise then that physically demanding positions, i.e., loading and unloading racks, are the most difficult to fill and retain.
This also means reducing labor demands can go a long way toward retaining workers and keeping them safe.
Every Touch Creates Cost & Risk
Most processors track throughput, yield, labor hours, overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) and downtime to measure productivity and ultimately, the bottom line.
Few measure product touches, which also affects productivity and profits by requiring more labor, increasing risks and creating variability in product and throughput.
Every manual transfer requires a team member to perform the action, which translates into recruiting, training, scheduling and retention. Since labor is one of the largest operating expenses in food manufacturing, it’s easy to see how dozens of touches over just one shift can drastically affect the entire company.
Those touches introduce the risk of product damage.
It’s not just a profit or team member safety issue-every touch also adds the potential for product drops, surface damage, product deformation, packaging issues and unplanned waste. Logs are intentionally long and cylindrical. This shape is idea for batch slicing, but difficult to control when handling. The products want to roll and bend. Team members have to actively manage that movement through every transfer.
Which then creates process variability.
Team members don’t perform tasks identically and the way a team member performs a task isn’t always exactly the same.
When relying on manual processes, organizations can see differences between operators, shifts, facilities and experience levels. Difference in product placement, transfer speeds and handling methods can range in severity, but even a minor difference can become issues when compounded over time/shifts.
Think about it this way: If each team member handles 1 log per minute through an 8-hour shift, they will handle 480 logs. Now, multiply that by the number of team members you have and you can see how many differences there can be between touches.
One seems minor, but collectively, they are one of the largest labor and ergonomic exposures in the operation.
Processes are key to productivity and profits–Controlled processes create uniformity and better throughput.
Yet, loading and unloading racks is often still performed manually.
The consequences and costs aren’t always obvious and don’t appear on financial statements.
Fatigue, slowed production, increased turnover, training, overtime and reduced team member engagement all affect the bottom line on a regular basis.
And then there’s the very obvious cost of actual injuries.
The National Safety Council estimates that, on average, a workplace injury costs an organization more than $40,000. It doesn’t take many to reach six-digit figures in costs.
Reduce the Risk with a Near-Touchless Workflow
Currently, processors rely on team members to manually move product from a conveyor onto a rack for cooking, smoking or freezing. Then, a team member manually moves the product onto a conveyor for packaging.
What if the rack stayed in the process, but the manual handling around it didn’t?
EnSight Solutions can help.
Our Log Loader and UnLoader can automate the process to remove manual handling. With these machines, team members can switch from lifting heavy product to controlling the machines that lift product.
The benefits are multifold. Team members no longer have to do strenuous and repetitive manual labor. Injuries and lost time go down. Morale goes up. Retention goes up. Onboarding costs go down.
And, since the Log Loader and UnLoader are automated based on your product needs, the process becomes consistent. Up to 16 logs a minute, no matter what. No pauses to stretch. No slowdowns over the shift. No variables.
Ready to make loading and unloading racks of logs safer and more consistent? Contact EnSight now.
