June is National Safety Month: Preventative Safety Measures
ADVANCING SAFETY IN CNC FABRICATION, SCREEN PRINTING, AND NAMEPLATE MANUFACTURING
A Safety Culture Built on Prevention, Not Reaction
This June, we’re highlighting the proactive steps the Plate has taken across the factory to strengthen safety and prevent injuries. Many of these improvements were made before incidents occurred — a reflection of the safety‑first mindset that guides our work every day across our custom nameplate, durable label, and industrial OEM production lines.
At Willington Nameplate, safety isn’t a checklist. It’s a culture built on continuous improvement, cross‑training, and anticipating hazards before they become risks. Whether we’re producing screen‑printed nameplates, chemical-etched identification plates, Metalphoto® seat tags, or CNC‑cut components, our operators work with equipment that requires precision, focus, and safe handling — and we’re committed to giving them the safest environment possible.
Safer Operation of Manual Punch Presses
Many of our fabrication processes — including those used for metal data plates, control panels, and industrial tags — involve hand‑feeding material into equipment activated by foot pedals. This places operators close to moving parts, where instinctive movements can lead to injury.
After a technician’s finger entered the press line during an accidental pedal tap, incorporated new guarding. The machine now features a plexiglass guard with an opening large enough to load material but too small for hands or fingers to enter the danger zone. This improvement directly enhances safety for operators working on custom aerospace tags and precision‑formed components.
Safety Guards Installed Across Punch Presses
Across the fabrication area, we’ve added similar protective mechanisms to other punch presses. These guards prevent hands from entering unsafe zones whenever foot pedals are engaged, supporting safer workflows for custom die-cut valve tags, serialized UID/IUID, safety plates and more.
Cycle Interruption Bars in the Print Department
In our print department — where we produce high‑accuracy screen‑printed nameplates, graphic overlays, and custom dial faceplates — cycle interruption bars protect operators if the printer head or printing carriage begins to close while someone is underneath. When they detect an object, the system stops immediately. These bars act as a fail‑safe, ensuring operator protection even in unexpected situations.
Investing in Newer, Safer Press Technology
Our commitment to safety extends beyond retrofits. WNP leadership continues to invest in equipment fitted with light curtains — sensor‑based systems that automatically stop the machine if a hand or object crosses the beam. This dramatically reduces the risk of pinch‑point injuries and modernizes safety standards across our CNC fabrication, manual shearing, and chemical etch and paint processes.
Later this summer, WNP will be adding 5 new Titan presses, two of which are shown below. The yellow vertical bars shown below identify where the light curtain technology will provide an added layer of safety for operators. As described, anything passing through its sensors will cause the machine to immediately stop.
Light Curtains in CNC Fabrication
In our CNC Department, the ZUND digital cutter uses a light curtain to detect motion entering the cutting zone. Once triggered, the machine stops immediately. Safety incidents disrupt our on-time delivery goals and diminish our shipping reliability to our customers.
Identifying and Marking Safety Work Zones
Guardrails are installed throughout the factory to prevent injuries where materials move through machinery and out onto collection chutes. The fabrication department has multiple machines where metal sheets are cut and ejected into collection chutes. The safety yellow and the physical barrier combine to create a high-visibility hazard area.
Our Strippit turret press uses laser detection devices beneath the bed to halt table movement and places the machine into a feed hold if anyone enters the operating envelope. Two sensors — one in the front/side and one in the back — ensure full coverage, even in areas not visible to the operator at the control station.
“An Ounce of Prevention Is Worth a Pound of Cure”
Even low‑tech equipment can be improved. Each department uses carts to transport materials around the factory — particularly metal sheets used for blanks, Lexan nameplates, and other substrates for custom gauge faceplates and scales. After an operator’s arm was scratched by a piece of metal extending beyond a cart, guards were installed to prevent materials from shifting and creating hazards.
Empowering Operators to Stop the Job
The right to stop a job is built into the culture of Willington Nameplate. If an operator senses something is off or identifies a concern, they can pause the job immediately. Team Leads then consult with Operations and Leadership to evaluate the situation and make adjustments as needed.
Walking through the Plate, you’ll see that every machine has its own Standard Work, Safety Warnings, and PPE requirements posted at the workstation — a constant reminder that safety is everyone’s responsibility.
Here are a few examples:
A Culture That Keeps Getting Safer
Every improvement — from a custom plexiglass guard to a state‑of‑the‑art light curtain — reflects the same belief: safety is everyone’s job, and every upgrade matters. Our teams continue to identify opportunities, share ideas, and refine processes so that every person on our floor goes home safely.
