When you walk into an office building, you probably don’t give a second thought to the glowing exit signs, fire alarms, or extinguishers mounted on the walls. You just know they’re there, quietly doing their job. The same goes for your car; it’s loaded with safety features like seatbelts, airbags, and automatic braking systems that are there when you need them, often without you even noticing.
That’s the point of good safety: it’s built in. It’s reliable. It doesn’t get in the way until the moment it absolutely has to step in and do its job.
Manufacturing facilities are no different. If anything, the stakes are higher. Every day, operators work side-by-side with machines that can lift, cut, press, or rotate with tremendous force. Without the right protective measures, a single mistake or overlooked hazard can quickly escalate into something far more serious: downtime, injuries, regulatory scrutiny, or worse.
At HESCO, we’ve helped thousands of manufacturers reduce their risk and build safer systems using the latest in Rockwell Automation’s machine safety technologies. Whether you're designing a new cell or retrofitting an existing line, making the right safety decisions today can protect your people, your production, and your bottom line tomorrow.
So let’s talk about what machine safety means and how to make sure your facility isn’t missing critical safeguards.
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to this, and that’s part of the challenge. In general, machine safety equipment refers to the devices and systems that protect personnel from mechanical or electrical hazards. These might include safety relays, light curtains, interlock switches, e-stop buttons, guard-locking devices, and more. The purpose of every piece of safety gear is the same: reduce the risk of injury and allow employees to do their jobs confidently and efficiently.
But here’s the part that sometimes gets overlooked: safety equipment isn’t just there to prevent accidents. When done right, it also enables better productivity. Rockwell Automation reports that manufacturers who invest in safety technologies and practices tend to have less than half the injury rate of their peers, and often outperform them operationally, too.
That’s because safety features reduce unplanned downtime, simplify maintenance, and help standardize processes across shifts and sites. Plus, when your employees know you’re prioritizing their well-being, that confidence shows up in retention, training effectiveness, and day-to-day morale.
If you’ve already invested in high-performance machinery, it just makes sense to protect that investment. A properly safeguarded system lasts longer, performs more consistently, and requires fewer emergency fixes due to avoidable damage.
Knowing that safety matters is easy. Knowing where your facility currently stands–and what it’s missing–is where most teams get stuck.
That’s where Rockwell’s Safety Assessment comes in. It’s a structured, comprehensive on-site evaluation performed by Rockwell Automation’s safety experts. They’ll analyze your machinery, controls, and workflows to identify risks, verify compliance, and recommend targeted improvements.
Whether you’ve just installed new equipment or you’re still running legacy lines from the ‘90s, a Safety Assessment helps you understand where you are and exactly what steps you can take to improve.
A typical Rockwell Safety Assessment takes about a day, depending on the number and size of machines involved. During that time, Rockwell’s team walks through your facility and inspects your systems through the lens of applicable safety standards like ISO 13849, ANSI B11, and OSHA regulations. They aren’t just checking boxes; they’re looking at how people actually interact with your machines day to day.
After the site visit, you’ll get a detailed remediation report. It outlines the gaps in your safety implementation and suggests specific upgrades or changes that will bring your system into compliance and reduce risk. It’s practical. Actionable. And grounded in real-world standards, not vague recommendations.
This isn’t a paperwork exercise. It’s a proactive strategy that can help you avoid injuries, stop OSHA issues before they happen, and create a safer environment for your team.
The price of a Rockwell Safety Assessment starts around $5,000 and scales with the size and scope of your facility. For companies managing multiple lines or complex systems, that number can rise, but so can the return.
Compare that to the cost of a serious injury, a line shutdown, or a regulatory fine. A single incident can cost tens of thousands of dollars or more, and ripple across staffing, production schedules, insurance premiums, and even customer trust. That makes the assessment not just a cost, but an investment in avoiding far more expensive outcomes.
For facilities pursuing continuous improvement or modernization, these assessments often become a strategic planning tool. They help you prioritize upgrades, phase investments, and build a safety culture that scales with your operation.
One of the biggest misconceptions we run into is the assumption that because a machine has an e-stop or a guard, it’s fully compliant. Unfortunately, safety requirements aren’t static. They evolve with technology, standards, and industry best practices. And often, facilities that were once “safe enough” no longer meet today’s expectations.
Worse, many facilities have inherited equipment from previous plant layouts or acquisitions. In these cases, safety systems may have been bypassed, disconnected, or simply forgotten, especially during quick retrofits or emergency repairs.
That’s why assessments matter. They help you close the loop between what you think is happening and what’s actually happening on the floor. And the earlier you catch issues, the easier and cheaper it is to address them.
If you’re not sure whether your machines meet modern safety standards, or if it’s been years since anyone’s looked closely at your safety systems, now’s the time.
You don’t need to overhaul everything at once. But you do need a plan. And that starts with knowing where you stand.
At HESCO, we can help coordinate a Rockwell Safety Assessment for your facility and guide you through interpreting the results. From sourcing compliant components to partnering with integrators who can implement full safety upgrades, we’ll walk with you every step of the way.
In today’s manufacturing environment, safety isn’t just about avoiding injuries or staying out of trouble with regulators. It’s a strategic advantage for you and your team. Facilities that invest in proactive safety planning don’t just protect their people; they improve uptime, reduce liability, and extend the life of their equipment.
Rockwell’s Safety Assessment gives you a clear, unbiased view of where your risks are and how to fix them before they cost you. It’s a roadmap for building a safer, smarter facility.
If you’re ready to take that step, we’re here to help you navigate it, from assessment to implementation and beyond. Let’s make safety not just something you have, but something you lead with.