The threat of fire continues to grow and evolve in the woodworking industry. Just this past year, my employer, Pennsylvania Lumbermens Mutual Insurance Company (PLM), has seen significant increases in fire claims, most notably caused by dust explosions.

The client, a company experiencing continuous growth, planned to invest in a new production plant on its existing site to align with its growth strategy. However, during the concept phase, it became apparent that the initial investment costs for the planned new building would significantly exceed its budget.

Fleet safety claims are on the rise and woodworking businesses are at risk of major losses and driver safety issues today. As a leading insurer in the woodworking space, we have seen firsthand how frequent and severe driving related incidents can be to a business and employee safety.

Optimizing your business through broad-based automated information systems.

Forklift accidents consistently rank among the most common insurance claims. While most are small in nature, every now and then, a forklift accident can create serious injuries—even fatalities—and multi-million dollars’ worth of damage.

Whether or not the air is clean or laden with dust, all air has mass. This means that as it moves, frictional forces slow it down. Making matters worse, friction increases as the air’s mass and speed increase. Friction is created by the air interacting with other materials, including the dust within it, the components it moves through (for example the hose, ductwork, along with other items), and the air itself. 

The fastest way to test the moisture content of wood is to use a moisture meter. There are two main types of wood moisture meters, pin-type and pinless.

The U.S. Energy Department estimates that air compressors use as much as 10% of all electricity generated in the U.S., and as much as 50% of this energy is wasted. Compressed air leaks alone account for 25-30% of compressed air use. Consequently, many industrial companies are identifying ways to lower their compressed air system energy consumption. One of the most popular methods to do so is a comprehensive compressed air assessment, or “air demand analysis.” The objective of this paper is to define the five steps required in a compressed air assessment.  

Learn the 10 Commandments of lean manufacturing.

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