Your Quick Guide to a Manufacturing Risk Assessment

The manufacturing industry is one of the most complex and high-risk sectors, with potential hazards ranging from operating heavy machinery like industrial presses and robotic arms, to handling hazardous materials, such as flammable solvents, corrosive chemicals, or airborne particulates. Workers may also face dangers from high noise levels, repetitive motions, and the pressure of meeting tight production deadlines that can compromise safety procedures. Proactively identifying and addressing these risks can be the difference between a safe, efficient operation and costly accidents.

In this guide, we explain what a manufacturing risk assessment involves, highlight common risks to watch for, and outline practical steps to create a safer, more productive workplace.

What Is Manufacturing Risk Assessment?

A risk assessment is a structured process used to identify, evaluate, and control hazards within a manufacturing setting. As a best practice for risk management in manufacturing, it helps manufacturers prevent accidents at work and protect their employees by addressing risks proactively. In addition to improving factory safety, a thorough risk assessment helps reduce production disruptions, ensure regulatory compliance, and strengthen overall risk management strategies.

Examples of Risks in Manufacturing

Conditions on the factory floor, the way machinery is maintained, and the choices workers make each day all influence manufacturing safety and efficiency. To keep operations safe and productive, it’s important to understand the level of risk these factors pose and how they show up across different parts of your facility.

Below are some of the most common hazards in manufacturing. For a more comprehensive view, refer to our Risk Assessment Checklist.

Environmental and Facility Hazards

• Mechanical: Rotating parts on conveyor belts and robotic arms, sharp edges on sheet metal cutters and press brakes, pinch points on injection molding machines and stamping presses, and unguarded gears, chains, or pulleys.
• Chemical: Industrial solvents, acids, caustic cleaning agents, silica dust from grinding or cutting, and welding fumes.
• Physical: High noise levels from stamping presses and CNC machines, heat stress near furnaces or molten metal operations, cold exposure in refrigerated production or storage areas, vibration from power tools, jackhammers, or forklifts, and UV or infrared radiation during welding or curing processes.
• Electrical: Damaged or frayed extension cords, exposed live wires or open electrical panels, overloaded circuits or faulty equipment, and missing or improperly followed lockout/tagout procedures.

Operational and Equipment Hazards

• Malfunctioning, poorly maintained, or outdated machinery
• Production processes lacking proper safeguards or fail-safes
• Inadequate or inappropriate tools and equipment
• Insufficient inspection and maintenance routines

Ergonomic and Behavioral Hazards

• Failure to use personal protective equipment (PPE) or follow procedures, including not wearing safety glasses while grinding metal, skipping gloves when handling caustic chemicals, ignoring lockout/tagout steps during machine maintenance, and operating forklifts without proper certification.
• Repetitive motions, such as continuous assembly line work using hand tools, packing or labeling with repeated wrist movements, frequently reaching to load machines, or typing for extended periods in control rooms.
• Awkward or static postures, including bending over low workstations, standing in one position for long periods on concrete floors, reaching overhead to access parts or tools, and twisting the torso to operate controls.
• Forceful exertions, such as manually lifting heavy boxes of raw materials, carrying large metal components without assistive equipment, pushing loaded carts on uneven surfaces, pulling jammed parts from machinery, and unloading or unloading vehicles.

Biological and Hygiene Hazards

• Mold and bacteria from damp storage or poor ventilation
• Bloodborne pathogens at first-aid stations or from improper sharps disposal
• Pests and vectors in storage or warehouse areas

Organizational and Procedural Hazards

• Inadequate training or unclear communication
• Work schedules with excessive overtime or poorly managed breaks
• Missing or insufficient evacuation routes
• Eyewash stations that are unmaintained or inaccessible

Steps to Conduct a Risk Assessment

Sound risk management in manufacturing starts with a thorough risk assessment. This process involves identifying hazards, evaluating their likelihood and impact, and implementing control measures to reduce or eliminate risks.

Here are the five key steps to carrying out an assessment.

1. Identify the hazards

Start by spotting potential hazards throughout your facility. Use a risk assessment checklist to ensure nothing is missed — from obvious physical dangers to less visible risks like ergonomic strains or workplace stress. Common ways to identify hazards include:

• Observing daily operations for unsafe conditions or behaviors
• Consulting employees about risks they’ve noticed
• Reviewing incident and near-miss reports for patterns

2. Evaluate the risks

Next, assess each identified hazard to understand its severity. Evaluate both the likelihood of the risk occurring and its potential impact on people, equipment, and operations. To effectively evaluate risks:

• Identify who could be harmed and in what way (e.g., injury, illness, equipment damage)
• Estimate the likelihood of each risk occurring based on past incidents.
• Consider the potential operational disruptions if hazards are uncontrolled, such as production delays or regulatory violations.
• Prioritize the identified risks that pose the greatest threat to safety and productivity.

3. Implement Control Measures

Once hazards are identified and prioritized, put control measures in place to reduce or eliminate them. Follow the hierarchy of controls, a proven framework that ranks hazard controls from most to least effective:

• Eliminate: Remove the hazard entirely, such as decommissioning a piece of outdated machinery that can’t be safely repaired.
• Substitute: Replace hazardous materials, processes, or equipment with a safer alternative, like switching from toxic solvents to less harmful, water-based cleaners.
• Engineering controls: Make physical changes to the workplace to isolate workers from hazards, for example, installing machine guards.
• Administrative controls: Change work practices to reduce exposure, such as rotating employees to limit repetitive motions.
• Provide PPE: As a last line of defense, equip workers with personal protective equipment like gloves, safety glasses, and hearing protection.

4. Record Your Findings and Communicate

Document all identified risks and control measures, keeping records up to date for regulatory compliance and internal audits. Share this information with employees and management to ensure everyone understands current hazards and safety protocols.

5. Monitor and Review Regularly

Risk management is not a one-time task. Regularly reviewing and updating your risk assessments is essential to maintaining a successful mitigation strategy. This ongoing evaluation helps ensure that control measures remain effective as conditions change and new risks emerge. Following best practices in risk management, plan to conduct reviews annually, after workplace incidents, or when significant operational changes occur.

From Assessment to Action: Building a Culture of Safety

A risk assessment is just the beginning for sound risk management in manufacturing. Creating a truly safe workplace requires ongoing training, clear communication, and strong leadership. When employees are encouraged to take ownership of safety practices, it fosters a proactive culture where everyone plays a vital role. For additional support, consider consulting your insurance provider’s risk control team or utilizing an independent consultant to conduct a mock OSHA inspection.

How Technology Can Assist Risk Management in Manufacturing

Manufacturers are increasingly using AI and other advanced technologies to help strengthen risk management on the factory floor. From wearable smart devices to autonomous robots, these tools improve hazard monitoring and overall safety. Additionally, advanced data analytics and IoT-connected equipment help identify trends and emerging risks, while digital platforms streamline training and incident reporting.

Strengthening Manufacturing Safety through Risk Analysis

Manufacturing environments are full of moving parts — from heavy machinery to hazardous chemicals to the people who keep it all running — and each brings their own potential risks. A comprehensive risk analysis is just one element of a well-rounded mitigation strategy.

Working with an insurance provider that offers robust risk control services and workers’ compensation solutions can further safeguard your business and employees. Request a quote today to see how Westfield can support your manufacturing operation.