Laser Focus: Orion Laser Tech Tackles Risk Analysis with PA
Located in Bekkevoort, Belgium, Orion Laser Tech focuses on manufacturing machines for lasering glass. One of the applications is to user lasers to create glass that is more bird friendly than the standard. The reason is born of necessity: scientists estimate that in the US alone about a billion birds die every year from flying into buildings. Legislators oblige builders to act against this.
“Today, modern glass is coated to make buildings as energy efficient as possible,” says Orion Sales & Marketing Manager Stijn Lambrechts. “However, this coating also causes more reflection, causing birds to fly against the glass, often with fatal consequences. With the laser we make, on a very precise scale, a kind of drawings or dots in the glass so that birds see it as a barrier again.”
Another popular application that Orion Laser Tech can provide is to make glass more transparent to 4G and 5G radio waves. This makes it so that mobile phone reception in buildings and even trains, for example, improves. “The glass in trains is provided with a silver coating to prevent overheating of the compartments,” Lambrechts explains. “However, this coating also blocks mobile phone waves. By applying a line in the glass, thinner than a human hair, we improve reception.”
The Problem
It likely goes without saying, but machines that utilize laser beams must meet the highest safety standards, not only in terms of electrical safety, but also to minimize optical risk. The team at Orion Laser Tech is adamant about following all the legal and safety regulations regarding these standards. “That is the ‘machinery directive‘,” says Lambrechts. “Nevertheless, we would like to provide additional training for our employees, especially to further sharpen their awareness. We called on PA Solutions for those training courses.”
The Solution
PA Solutions split the training into two parts. Lambrechts says that “In the first part, we briefly introduced all of our fifteen employees to the ins and outs of the machinery directive and made it clear to them why this is important. In a second part, a smaller part of the team delved even further into this matter. That was about: what is a risk analysis, how do you carry it out, what tools are available for this, how do you approach it?
PA Solutions provided a very practical approach. The theoretical part was kept to a minimum and all teaching material was as applicable as possible. That’s how we like to work here.”
The training was immediately put into practice, says Lambrecht. “The next day we immediately started a risk analysis of a new machine that we are developing. Now that we have the tools and knowledge in-house, we can do this perfectly ourselves. There is therefore a good chance that we will repeat the training for new employees.”
Risk Analysis Matters
Risk Analysis is just one essential element of a manufacturer’s overall safety plan. Companies across all industries must have guidelines in place to keep the people in and around their facilities safe, whether they are operating a machine, packing a box, or otherwise. And this is only possible with a detailed risk analysis, which PA Solutions can quickly turn into a reality. Our team has broad experience across the full spectrum of machinery. This includes:
- The CE-trajectory for new machines.
- Evaluation according work equipment legislation for existing machines.
- The capability to integrate machine and process safety as one cohesive function.
We tailor this to your unique business, instead of a generic plan that won’t offer the effectiveness you need. Want to know more? Take a look at our safety site or Contact PA Solutions today to get started on the right machine safety guidelines for your operation.
