Striving for Safety in the Semiconductor Workplace
November 01, 2021
By Jon Murray, COO
This month we are celebrating our annual Safety Week. The past year and a half has made it undeniably clear that prioritizing the health of ourselves and those around us is vital. In addition to facing the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the semiconductor industry has its own dangerous hazards that employees might not be exposed to in other industries. Because of this, Safety Week is our annual reminder to take a step back and reprioritize safety precautions to keep our team safe year-round.
Safe Workplace … Where to Begin
You might be asking yourself, “So where does a safe workplace begin?” The answer: with employees.
This year, to support our team, we are offering our annual safety week presentation over video, so that every team member has access to watch our top tips, whenever and wherever. We’ve also put together a safety kit that includes a mask, gloves and wipes, all in a reusable NSTAR bag.
The key behind any accident-free workplace is a safe workforce. We make sure that employees receive proper training to ensure they are comfortable before they step foot in a customer’s semiconductor fabrication facility. Employee confidence, as well as trust in their colleagues, makes all the difference when it comes to reducing avoidable accidents.
Offering continual training on semiconductor safety will keep your team fluent with safe practices for their day-to-day work. Without ongoing training, complacency is a likely outcome. The cause of complacency can vary by employee, from forming poor routines due to repetitive work to rushing to meet production deadlines, especially as the semiconductor shortage remains in major headlines. At NSTAR, we consistently offer evolving semiconductor safety programs that are individualized for each employee so they can help maintain a safe work environment.
We believe that every member of our team is responsible in helping keep the workplace safe. These are the top 10 tips we can follow to make sure we are looking after ourselves and the safety of those around us.
10 Safety Focus Areas:
- Inform supervisors of unsafe conditions
- Use equipment, materials and tools properly
- Wear safety equipment
- Prevent slips and trips
- Keep work areas and emergency exits clear
- Eliminate fire hazards
- Avoid tracking hazardous materials
- Prevent objects from falling
- Use correct posture when lifting
- Take work breaks from time to time
Keeping Safe through the Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic is an ongoing safety concern that we all face. At NSTAR, we continue to be in alignment with our customers’ policies and recommendations for the virus, in addition to following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendations for preventing the spread of the virus. We strongly recommend all NSTAR employees get the COVID-19 vaccination, social distance, and stay home when feeling unwell.
We also wanted to do our part to help fight the global pandemic. At our NSTAR facility in Boise, our plastics team created a custom shield to protect local frontline health care workers and their patients.
We believe safety is the foundation for all success at NSTAR. Although we are celebrating safety week this month, we continually strive to live out our motto “Think Safe. Work Safe. Be Safe.” all year long.
Connect with our team of experts about semiconductor safety and to learn more about our NSITESM facility services.
