Terminator 2, the second instalment of James Cameron's successful sci-fi franchise may be (to some) one of the greatest films of all time. But one wonders whether that final climactic scene could have gone differently for Skynet if the factory in question had implemented health and safety measures. Linda Hamilton's Sarah Connor was the hero of the day, but the overwhelming abundance of safety hazards surely played a role in the defeat of Skynet.
Flooring
The film featured metal grating in plenty, covering the ample staircases and catwalks of the steel mill. Though the flooring appeared strong enough to handle most human equivalent loads, one can’t help but ask if the designers of the factory skimped on materials, opting for something that looked strong but wasn't really! Or could it have been poor installation? It’s not supposed to bend and buckle at the slightest point of stress!
Locker Group offers a range of industrial flooring solutions that would hold up against this kind of pressure.
Railing
Good quality safety railing doesn't come loose when you pull or push on it. In fact, safety railing is generally designed to do just the opposite. Having manufactured similar products for decades, Locker Group knows what goes into a good railing product and how it’s supposed to perform. Locker Group creates architectural solutions that are carefully designed and rigorously tested to meet stringent Australian safety and quality standards.
General housekeeping
Safety in manufacturing goes beyond the production process to the overall environment. The steel mill in Terminator 2, for instance, had seemingly random bits of equipment emitting sparks. In a real world factory, if there’s something dangling from the ceiling spitting sparks everywhere, it will need to be sorted out on priority.
Further, if you have an enormous churning gear that an Arnold Schwarzenegger can merrily ride on, put a safety barrier or a wire mesh enclosure around it. Locker Group also advises against a platform without railing, hanging over a pool of molten steel like a diving board.
No one wants a Terminator in their factory, but the use of poor quality materials might be just as hazardous. For more information on how perforated metal products can contribute towards improving health and safety in a manufacturing environment, contact Locker Group today.
