How to Keep Your Production Facility Running Smoothly Through Any Setback

Modern production facilities are models of efficiency. Precision-engineered machines move materials around a perfectly organized warehouse so that well-trained employees can make top-quality products. Of course, things don’t always go this smoothly. When unexpected setbacks happen, it’s important to have the resources on hand to be able to quickly overcome these problems so that your production only experiences a minimal disruption.

Have Backup Power

Unless your facility is powered entirely by on-site solar panels, you are at risk of a production interruption if a power outage occurs. In addition to stopping production, a power outage can cause unsafe conditions for your employees if they aren’t able to find exits quickly. That’s why a backup power source is so crucial for your facility’s success. In addition to keeping everyone safe, you can use backup power to keep critical systems going so that you can restart production without skipping a beat after power is fully restored.

Stock Extra Parts

Some facilities experience interruptions when something breaks and they don’t have the parts to fix it. Even if you employ an experienced maintenance team, there’s not much that they can do if they don’t have the right parts for the job. To overcome this obstacle, it’s vital that you stock parts for various key pieces of equipment, such as forklift parts, conveyor belt parts, and rolling door parts, so that you can make a quick fix without waiting for a part to be shipped to your facility.

Have A Contingency Schedule

For the most part, people thrive when they can be promised a consistent schedule. However, it’s important to have a plan for a contingency schedule in case there is a major setback that interrupts production for an entire shift. Rather than planning on the fly, employees should be aware of what is expected of them when they can’t work. They should also know how they will be compensated for working these off-schedule hours.

Have Manual Alternatives

In most modern production facilities, nearly everything is automated. However, if something breaks or you lose power, this automated equipment won’t do you much good. If you can, it makes sense to keep some manual alternatives on-hand so that work can continue, even if it’s at a slower pace. For example, if you depend entirely on forklifts to move goods around your facility, it’s a good idea to have some pallet jacks on hand in case one or more of the forklifts breaks down.

When it comes to dealing with setbacks at your facility, planning makes perfect. You can’t effectively respond to a situation that you haven’t planned for. Therefore, it’s your job as a facility manager to think through every possible scenario so that there are no surprises when something unusual occurs.