On paper, palletizing appears to be like like a primary job: stack packing containers, repeat. In actuality, it’s one of the crucial injury-prone jobs in manufacturing—and one of many best to automate.
In case you’re searching for a low-risk, high-reward place to start out with automation, look no additional than the top of your line. Right here’s why guide palletizing is inflicting extra harm than you assume—and the way automation turns it right into a strategic benefit.
One employee, one hour, infinite threat
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—time 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 sort that heal in a single day. We’re speaking muscle strains, nerve harm, power again ache, and long-term incapacity. It’s no marvel 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/reducing duties.
Accidents to the again and shoulders account for 79% of those instances.
One single pressure damage 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 group. It quietly eats away at your revenue margins and manufacturing reliability.
The repair? Take away the chance fully
Not like different advanced automation tasks, 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 remove the ergonomic threat 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 just some days. No customized engineering. No further coding. Only a safer, extra productive line.
Why this issues now
Labor shortages. Insurance coverage hikes. Tight margins. In case you’re feeling the stress, you’re not alone, and guide palletizing isn’t serving to. Each damage is a setback. Each delay, a value.
However with automation, each pallet turns into a possibility to do higher.
Take the following step
💻 Do not miss our Ergonomics webinar with licensed security skilled Carla Silver – register at present!
📘 Want extra particulars and statistics? Obtain our Ergonomics e-book, additionally by Carla Silver.