MHI Solutions Improving Supply Chain Performance
Member companies of the Protective Guarding Manufacturers Association (ProGMA) Industry Group of MHI have been working diligently to review and revise the standards for design and performance of protective guarding products used in the material handling industry. For the last year, the group has committed themselves to the development, maintenance and publishing of industry standard specifications for these systems.
* By Stephen Murdoch *
Eddie Murphy, president of MHI member SpaceGuard Products and former chairman of ProGMA, is excited about the group’s early successes. “Our organization promotes the benefits, advantages, and use of protective barrier and guarding equipment in the workplace. We are also working collectively to create nationally accepted standards and practices to keep people and assets safe. We represent global companies manufacturing a wide array of safe guarding products, which results in a vast and diverse knowledge-base among our members,” he explained.
The long-time veteran of material handling, ergonomics and industrial safety believes there is an opportunity for the member companies to grow their profile. “Buyers and decision-makers have an infinite amount of information available regarding safety, but they need to know they are making the best decision for their organization. They want to ensure that new technologies are effective in meeting codes and preventing actual accidents. The ProGMA Industry Group is releasing a series of videos to illustrate the proper guarding solutions that should be considered throughout any industrial or commercial facility,” Murphy said.
Member companies of ProGMA not only compete against other manufacturers in the industry, but homemade guards fabricated in a maintenance shop. “ProGMA’s biggest challenge is to properly educate consumers on how engineered solutions by established manufacturers are the safest way to guard their people, product, equipment, and facilities and how it will actually save the customer money in the long run.”