How a “Revolving Door” Workforce Impacts Manufacturing Safety
Manufacturing injury rates have improved significantly over the decades. However, they are still far from zero. As workforce dynamics continue to shift, many manufacturers face a new challenge: higher turnover and shorter employee tenure.
In a recent interview with Industrial Equipment News (IEN), Morse Manufacturing President Nate Andrews discussed how a “revolving door” workforce can create manufacturing safety knowledge gaps—especially in tasks that fall outside daily routines.
Where Safety Gaps Develop
Many facilities rely on experienced employees and long-standing practices. However, when turnover increases, tribal knowledge becomes harder to transfer. Even strong onboarding programs often focus on routine production tasks while overlooking intermittent jobs such as preventive maintenance or material handling support.
For example, an operator may know how to change machine oil according to documented specifications. But what about safely moving the drum of oil into position? Without proper training and equipment, risk increases.
The Role of Equipment Suppliers in Safety
As a manufacturer of drum handling equipment, Morse believes safety is a shared responsibility. Manufacturers, suppliers, dealers, and facility leaders must work together to ensure best practices are understood and implemented.
We provide extensive safety resources, product guidance, and educational content to help facilities avoid common drum handling risks—such as:
- Using hand trucks instead of proper drum trucks
- Moving drums with bare forklift forks
- Pushing drums on dollies above their center of gravity
- Rolling drums on their side to mix contents
Knowing how drums are handled unsafely is often the first step toward improving safety.
Watch the Full Interview
In the full five-minute conversation, Nate shares additional insights on workforce changes, supplier responsibility, and practical steps companies can take to strengthen safety programs.
🎥 Watch the full interview with Industrial Equipment News
At Morse Manufacturing, we remain committed to helping facilities lift, move, and pour drums safely—because safe drum handling is not optional. It’s essential.
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