Modernisation of the workplace as a result of the outbreak of the pandemic

Purpose: of this paper is to propose modernisation activities, including the improvement of machines and devices that will increase work safety during the epidemic state for the workplace of an injection moulding machine operator in a selected manufacturing company. Design/methodology/approach: In the work brief analyses of a production line and a workplace of an injection moulding machine operator were carried out. Then the threats that occur at the analysed workplace were identified. The risk assessment was done using three methods: matrix according to the PN-N-18002:2011 standard, Risk Score and PHA. Findings: The results of the occupational risk assessment obtained by the three assessment methods were similar and gave similar results. The greatest and unacceptable risk has occurred for the threat of SARS-CoV-2 virus infection. Therefore, the following modernisation solutions were proposed: the introduction of mandatory epidemiological questionnaires, online training for company employees, the use of a three-axis robot, replacement of traditional disinfection dispensers with automatic ones. Practical implications: The results of re-assessing the occupational risk after introducing the proposed improvements showed that the occupational risk was significantly reduced – mainly to the low or very low levels. Originality/value: The proposed modernisation solutions at the workplace of an injection moulding machine operator can be used for each workplace and each epidemiological state.