The Role of Commissioning in Ensuring Safety and Compliance Across Manufacturing Operations
At a Glance:
- What happens after the design? An overview of the engineering side of commissioning and why they are critical to achieving regulatory compliance.
- The author touches on the importance of system integration, calibration, startup testing and documentation.
A well-rounded maintenance strategy is critical to ensure efficient and safe manufacturing operations. From professional installation and regular maintenance to quick repairs and ongoing employee training, a lot goes into confirming you have a successful strategy in place. Another crucial piece of the maintenance puzzle is commissioning.
Commissioning is the bridge between equipment installation and safe, compliant operations. The process is designed to determine that newly installed or retrofitted equipment functions as it is intended. This includes system integration, startup testing, and calibration and documentation. Without this step, your facility is at risk of non-compliance with industry standards and your teams are more likely to miss early signs of equipment issues or experience unexpected breakdowns.
Without proper commissioning, a system is never truly ready for operation. In this piece, we’ll explore the benefits of effective commissioning to ensure compliance, optimize equipment life, improve worker safety and increase productivity.
Protecting People and Equipment
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that more than 2.8 million workplace injuries occur per year, many of which are tied to faulty equipment. A thorough commissioning process plays a critical role in reducing these risks. By identifying system hazards and performance issues early, commissioning not only protects your teams but also extends the life of equipment.
READ MORE: Basic Considerations When Commissioning a Vision System
In high-throughput environments, commissioning is more than just checking a box after installation and before using new equipment. It’s the basis of safe, reliable operations and stronger trust with employees. Rushing this stage can lead to startup delays, costly breakdowns, safety accidents and long-term dissatisfaction among staff.
A successful commissioning strategy provides a final safety net before operations go live, ensuring that systems are fully integrated and safe to use. Below is a glimpse into effective commissioning practices for some of the most important warehouse systems.
Overhead Cranes
- Simulate crane-to-crane and crane-to-end movements to confirm that collision sensors correctly identify and detect objects and trigger automatic safety stops.
- Program radio remote controls to overhead cranes and test lamps, horns and visual signals across your facility to effectively alert employees that a crane is in use.
- Walk operators through emergency stop procedures and the safe use of remote controls.
AGV/AMRs
- Ensure automated guided vehicles/autonomous mobile robots (AGV/AMRs) properly align with charging pads and that charging occurs without issue.
- Charge fleets under peak demand to confirm systems can handle multiple units without reduced performance.
- Calibrate fleets to align with your site-specific layout, including equipment spacing, on-the-floor systems, charging pads, etc.
Data Transmission
- Confirm Wi-Fi systems do not interfere with other wireless systems or control signals.
- Ensure consistent data transmission across the entire facility with no dropouts in high-traffic areas.
- Enable cybersecurity protocols to prevent data breaches.
Meeting Industry Standards and Regulations
Beyond equipment performance and worker safety, commissioning is key to remaining compliant with industry standards. Depending on the application, warehouse operations and systems must meet a variety of regulatory requirements, from OSHA standards to ISO specifications and more.
It’s important to ensure effective documentation during the commissioning process to take note of any identified issues and resolutions prior to production. Comprehensive documentation and reporting are critical for audits, certifications and liability protection. A strong commissioning process minimizes the risk of fines, downtime or costly rework and gives operators and managers confidence that their facility is aligned with the latest regulations from the start.
READ MORE: Beyond the Spiel: Design for What Comes Next
Additionally, compliance is more than a formality. It provides assurance that manufacturing facilities and warehouses are efficient and well-maintained. If your production facility or operation has a reputation for equipment failures or non-compliance, prospective customers will likely turn to competitors who run productive and safe operations.
Internal maintenance teams are well equipped to commission and document new or retrofitted systems. In some cases, it’s helpful to know that external specialists or third-party vendors can provide additional support to make this step easier and more streamlined. Full-service partners can offer direct access to factory-trained technicians, TWIC-certified and OSHA-trained staff, and specific application expertise. Leveraging this expertise can take the guesswork out of commissioning and ensure your facility and operations comply with regulations.
Effective Warehousing Starts with Commissioning
Commissioning isn’t just about confirming equipment runs; it’s a strategic investment in reliability and a crucial step toward extended equipment life, worker safety and increased uptime. In manufacturing environments, your teams are juggling a variety of tasks all at once, and it can be easy for key steps like commissioning to fall through the cracks. However, with a full-service partner, you can trust that every system is properly set up, adjusted, tested and documented.
For manufacturing plants facing challenges with efficient, safe and compliant operations, working with an experienced partner can help ensure operations align with requirements, remain reliable and run smoothly.