From the Spray Foam Lab to the Factory: Supporting Safety Throughout for All Employees
Written by Sylvie Dionne and Éric Labrecque at Huntsman Building Solutions
The manufacturing of spray foam insulation, a ubiquitous product used in many construction and renovation projects, is a complex process that requires careful attention to safety. The health and wellbeing of the workers involved in this process, from the initial stages in the laboratory to the final production in the factory, are of utmost importance. This article provides an in-depth look at the safety measures and protocols in place throughout the manufacturing process of spray foam insulation.
Spray foam insulation: a comprehensive overview
Spray foam insulation is a polyurethane-based material that expands upon application, filling gaps and providing high-quality insulation. This innovative product is highly valued for its versatility, energy-efficiency, and superior insulating properties. However, the process of producing it involves handling various chemical components, which necessitates stringent safety protocols. Understanding the journey of spray foam insulation from the lab to the factory will shed light on the intricate safety measures required in its manufacturing.
Overall attitudes towards safety
Before we dive into specific examples of health and safety procedures, we can observe general safety practices that contribute to a healthier environment for workers stationed in labs, factories, or offices.
The first step in cultivating a safe work environment is also one of the most important – fostering open and regular communication of safety concerns from all parties. Although organizations will inevitably have teams of workers dedicated to safety, it is essential that anyone can come forward with their own thoughts regarding their own safety, or the safety of others in the workplace. This makes everyone feel heard, and also provides opportunities for certain safety risks to be discovered that may otherwise be overlooked.
A nice pairing with this regular communication, is regular safety checks, but performed by various employees outside of the safety committee. Several manufacturers have implemented Behaviour Based Safety (BBS), where any work on the factory floor is observed by employees from across the facility, as these individuals can sometimes catch details that have been glossed over by regular factory floor workers. After all, when employees spend large amounts of time working within a space, they have the potential to become blind to certain aspects of their workplace due to overexposure.
Manufacturers are also constantly working towards increasing the amount of procedure documentation they have on hand. This not only helps new employees, who are required to swiftly familiarise themselves with safety procedures to work effectively, but also employees with longer tenures, who, over time, may have forgotten small details that could have large ramifications if unchecked.
When observing the safety procedures of all employees, in the lab, factory, and office, some manufacturers find that positive reinforcement is the most effective tool for bolstering adherence to safety procedures. For example, an observed employee may make ten mistakes, but do three things really well. Those mistakes will be addressed but recognizing the employee’s excellent conduct regarding the three safety procedures they did well to follow is a more effective tool when it comes to making workplaces safer.
Safety in the lab: the birthplace of spray foam insulation
The journey of spray foam insulation begins in the laboratory, where chemists and scientists work diligently on formulating the product. Laboratories are inherently high-risk environments due to the handling of potentially hazardous chemical substances. To mitigate these risks, comprehensive safety measures are put in place.
Firstly, lab workers are required to wear personal protective equipment (PPE). This typically includes lab coats, gloves, safety glasses, etc. Ensuring the right PPE is worn for different tasks is essential and is strictly enforced.
Laboratories are also equipped with safety features like fume hoods to control and extract any harmful vapours that may be released during testing or formulation processes. These installations are critical to maintaining a safe working environment.
Ergonomics can significantly contribute to laboratory safety. An effective ergonomics program reduces the risk of injury to lab workers while maintaining or improving their health, leading to happier, healthier workers, and fewer workdays lost to injuries and compensation claims.
Solutions may include improving workstation design to minimize potential injuries, using flooring to minimize fatigue, or investing in help from robots and other technological innovations. These changes can reduce physical demands, eliminate unnecessary movements, lower injury rates, and their associated workers’ compensation costs, and reduce employee turnover. In many cases, work efficiency and productivity have increased as well.
Regular training in handling hazardous materials and emergency response is another fundamental aspect of lab safety. This ensures that all lab personnel are well-versed in the safe handling of materials, the correct use of equipment, and the appropriate steps to take in the event of an emergency.
Transitioning to the factory: manufacturing and production
Once the spray foam insulation formulation is perfected in the lab, the process transitions to the manufacturing factory. Here, the raw materials are combined, reacted, and packaged under controlled conditions to create the finished product.
Factory workers often deal with large volumes of raw materials and are involved in various stages of the production process, each with its own set of potential hazards. As in the lab, workers are required to wear PPE, including safety glasses, gloves, and sometimes full-body suits, depending on the specific task.
The layout and design of factories also play a significant role in worker safety. Good ventilation is essential to prevent the build-up of potentially harmful vapours. Clearly marked emergency exits provide a safe route out of the building in case of emergencies. Spill containment systems are in place to manage any accidental leaks or spills, while fire suppression systems protect against the risk of fires. Regular equipment inspections and maintenance are carried out to prevent malfunctions that could pose safety risks.
Employee training and wellbeing: an investment in safety
Employee training is a critical part of safety in spray foam insulation manufacturing. Workers are routinely trained on the proper use of equipment, the safe handling of materials, emergency procedures, and best practices for personal safety. This constant reinforcement of safety protocols not only serves to protect the workers but also contributes to the overall quality of the product.
Beyond physical safety measures, manufacturers invest in the wellbeing of their employees by promoting ergonomics and healthy working conditions. This can include providing regular breaks to prevent fatigue, ensuring workspaces are well-lit and comfortable, and offering health and wellness programs. These initiatives can include providing regular breaks to prevent fatigue, ensuring workspaces are well-lit and comfortable, and offering health and wellness programs. These initiatives reflect the importance of worker wellbeing in maintaining a productive and safe work environment.
An effective ergonomics program is another key component of worker wellbeing. By designing the job to fit the worker, rather than physically forcing the worker’s body to fit the job, manufacturers can reduce the risk of injury and improve overall worker health. Solutions may include improving workstation design, using flooring to minimize fatigue, and investing in technological innovations such as robotics to help with physically demanding tasks.
The manufacturing industry has started to embrace industrial ergonomic workstations, which are designed to adapt to workers’ physical attributes rather than forcing workers to adapt to their environment. They are created in a way that ensures tasks follow the body’s natural movements, which may help reduce or prevent potential injuries. For instance, dynamic shelving, storage, and picking solutions ensure needed parts are at hand and workers do not have to fetch and carry items. Organizer bins that minimize clutter around workstations and floor mats that reduce worker fatigue after long periods of standing are other examples of solutions that can improve safety by reducing the possibility of injuries.
With the advent of technology, manufacturers have been increasingly leveraging robotic workers that can be employed to handle repetitive, dirty, or dangerous tasks, thereby allowing employees to move into more satisfying and safe roles.
In addition to physical ergonomics, modern assessments are also considering “cognitive ergonomics” to manage the cognitive load placed on workers. This aspect looks at how work affects aspects such as attention distribution, decision-making, cognitive aspects of mental load, stress, and human errors. With employees increasingly working with technology and other sophisticated tools, there is a greater need for problem-solving and reasoning skills. Solutions to this problem may include digital training applications that help streamline the learning procedure for new technologies, real-time analytics dashboards to simplify how data are gathered and interpreted and investing in human error reduction training programs.
Conclusion
The manufacturing of spray foam insulation, like any industrial process, carries potential hazards. However, through stringent safety protocols, proper use of personal protective equipment, regular training, and an emphasis on ergonomics and worker wellbeing, manufacturers can create a safe and healthy environment for their employees. While the focus is often on the finished product, it is important to recognize the meticulous attention to safety and health that goes into each step of the process. The welfare of the people behind the product is not just a priority, but a commitment, underscoring the importance of safety in the manufacturing industry.
About the Authors
Sylvie Dionne, PSAC, CRSP, and currently the Health Safety Environment & Quality (HSEQ) Manager for North America. She’s also the former EHS Director with Huntsman Building Solutions.
Éric Labrecque is the Health, Safety and Environment expert with Huntsman Building Solutions. He’s and inspector and he provides training, raises awareness, and develops health and safety measures for the company.
About Huntsman Building Solutions
The Huntsman Building Solutions business is a global leader in high-performance, sustainable building envelope solutions. Its systems and solutions are widely utilized to optimize commercial and residential structures worldwide in both new construction and retrofit applications. Formed in 2020 with the acquisition of Icynene-Lapolla and its combination with Demilec, the Huntsman Building Solutions business capitalizes on legacy industry technologies, environmental stewardship, and the power of the Huntsman brand. For more information, visit huntsmanbuildingsolutions.com.
About Huntsman
Huntsman Corporation is a publicly traded global manufacturer and marketer of differentiated and specialty chemicals with 2020 revenues of approximately $6 billion. Our chemical products number in the thousands and are sold worldwide to manufacturers serving a broad and diverse range of consumer and industrial end markets. We operate more than 70 manufacturing, R&D and operations facilities in approximately 30 countries and employ approximately 9,000 associates within our four distinct business divisions. For more information about Huntsman, please visit the company’s website at www.huntsman.com.