The Mysterious Case of the Great White Shark Vs. a Vending Machine
The origin of this statistic is unclear, but the most famous quip about safety in vending machines is that they are 4 times as lethal as the great white. We can be sure that neither was thrown into a gladiator’s ring to compete against the other, so we may never know how accurate this claim is. The most likely source of this is a research report published by the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) in 1995. This report states that between 1978 and 1995, 2.2 people were killed by vending machine-related accidents on an average per year [1]. This is not an isolated report. National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS), a unit of CPSC, published a similar piece in 2015 to claim that the number is around 4 per year [2].
Vending machine safety incidents do not just impact business continuity for your vending business. It is a fiduciary responsibility to ensure the safety of vending machine operator and users. The good news, though, is that it is often how the machine is used that causes the incident. Not the machine itself. Manufacturers are using technology to make machines safer. Vending.com takes safety seriously, ensuring that standards are complied with and features added that ensure the safety of our customers, end-users, talk to us to know more about how we ensure this.
Government institutions regulate the market to ensure that manufacturers are incorporating safety features. You can consider a few simple factors as a vending business owner to ensure that your operators and users have safe interactions with the vending machine.
Operator Safety
Vending machines are electro-mechanical equipment. Vending machine operators need to handle machines with necessary care and caution as they would handle any electrical appliance or equipment. Machine installation may be the most vulnerable point for potential incidents for the operator. Even that can be avoided by adhering to the installation process, using the right equipment, and wearing necessary protective gear. Once set up, operators will use the machine to program them, collect cash, or load new stock. There are well-defined vending machine safety user manuals that ensure that incidents like instability or electrocution are avoided during these tasks. Using suitable material handling equipment like mechanical, hydraulic, or electrical forklifts can prevent stock collapse and reduce operator fatigue. Vending.com equips all machines with the usage, service, maintenance, and troubleshooting literature to ensure a smooth experience for operators. Factory direct warranties, parts and service, as well as financing services are their expertise. Vending.com offers full-service programmes that assist first-time vending business owners as well as established vending business owners looking to expand their existing operations.
User Safety
The most common reason for safety-related incidents in vending machines is machine abuse. When delivery fails, some users kick, nudge, or even rock the machine. This can result in the machine tipping over. Vending machines are made of metal and glass, making them anywhere between two hundred pounds to eight hundred pounds, depending on the configuration and features. A fully loaded vending machine will weigh a few hundred pounds more. Mishandling the machine can make this come crashing down on the user. Damage to the machine legs or the floor surface can also lead to instability. Electrostatic charge accumulation is another cause of safety hazards. It might appear like these incidents can be avoided only through better user behavior. While that is true, the machine operator can ensure no clogging in the machine’s vending machine that can potentially frustrate the user. Manufacturers like Vending.com also uses technology that guarantees reliable disbursal of merchandise, contact us to know more about our iVend technology. Choosing the merchandise with suitable packaging is another important factor in ensuring proper disbursal.
Vending.com has a complete vending catalogue that can be customized with your company’s logo and colour scheme. It offers clients all around the globe a high-quality, state-of-the-art full-service vending experience with the widest range of safe and easy-to-use vending machines.
Ensuring Safety for Your Vending Machine
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- Timely Maintenance – Regular maintenance of the machine makes it function to specifications. It can also help vending machine operators discover potential safety hazards before they cause an impact. The refrigeration air intake mechanism, the coin and cash handling units, the collection tray, or any other part of the machine where transaction failures can happen need to be checked. Vending.com helps you with the timely maintenance, repair, and service of your vending machines.
- Harnessing Technology – Using technology like Guarantee Vend can prevent machine abuse by some users. This will, in effect, help reduce the chances of tip-over. Modern machines have UV-based surface sanitation systems like UVend. They help reduce the spread of contagious diseases when users touch frequent contact surfaces.
- Right Parts – Using manufacturer-authorized spares and supplies is an excellent way to eliminate uncertainties in machine performance. Spurious parts will not only reduce the life of the machine but can create safety issues. These parts are seldom tested and certified by regulatory agencies for your vending machines. Choosing to partner with a reliable partner like Vendnet offers the benefit of a fully stocked parts department that is committed to delivering components quickly and reliably anywhere around the world.
- Finding the Right Machine (Compliance with Standards and Regulations) – Selecting certified machines for safety is a fundamental responsibility of the vending machine provider. It helps avoid accidents and wins the trust of the end-users. UL, FCC, and CE are good examples of standards that vending machines need to comply with. Vending.com offers a complete range of certified vending machines to fulfil all of your vending requirements. Location assistance is also included in the package.
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- Reliable Manufacturer – Vending machine manufacturers who have a lasting presence in the market have a lot of knowledge gained from years of research and addressing field issues. Fly-by-night operations do not bear the burden of long-term care for machines or users. Established players have a reputation to defend and, above all, a genuine interest in the welfare of the market that they serve. Which is where Vending.com with our 90+ years of experience, market leadership, and stability comes into the picture.
Conclusion
Vending machines are safer to operate or use than several other machines. But that does not diminish the responsibility of vending business owners towards deploying safe machines. Thankfully, that is not a difficult decision to make. A set of simple tasks like timely maintenance, use of approved parts, selecting the suitable machine, and buying from reliable manufacturers can make your vending machines an enjoyable and safe experience for everybody.
Vending.com bears a 90-year legacy in providing safe vending solutions. Our R&D team has tested and validated our machines for the necessary safety standards. To learn more about the safety of our machines, can talk to us at 1-855-929-1042 or visit us at www.vending.com.
[2] https://www.cpsc.gov/s3fs-public/2019_NEISS_Coding_Manual.pdf
[3] https://medium.com/purple-theory/vending-machines-vs-sharks-3e2362d762fa
