I joined Electrolux Professional to tackle a critical safety problem on the Carlsberg beer cooler production line. For over 30 years, operators were exposed to high-temperature polyurethane foam, causing recurring injuries and frequent production stoppages despite the use of PPE. With limited margin for operational disruption, I had to quickly understand the root causes and design a solution that could improve safety without impacting production flow.

Challenges

• Understand operator behavior in high-risk environments

• Reduce cognitive and physical load during machine operation

• Prevent unsafe interactions with hot material through design

• Improve adherence to safety procedures without relying solely on PPE

• Design a solution that fits naturally into existing workflows

• Balance safety, usability, and production efficiency

• Validate the solution through real-world user testing

• Scale the experience across all machines and shifts

High level goals

• Design safer human–machine interactions

• Prevent injuries through experience design

• Reduce behavioral risk, not only technical risk

• Protect operators without disrupting productivity

• Apply UX methodology to an industrial context

CONTEXT & CONSTRAINTS

The production environment imposed several technical and human constraints that had to be addressed through design.

High-temperature operation

The polyurethane foam is released at extremely high temperatures, creating constant risk of burns and eye injuries during normal operation.

Continuous operator interaction

Operators must manually interact with the machine at close range, making complete physical separation impossible without affecting productivity.

Existing machine architecture

The solution had to work with the current machinery structure, without requiring major mechanical redesign or production downtime.

Time pressure and workflow dependency

Operators work under strict time constraints, increasing the likelihood of unsafe behavior and reducing adherence to PPE guidelines.

Safety compliance without friction

Relying solely on PPE proved ineffective due to inconsistent usage. The solution needed to protect users regardless of behavioral variance.

Industrial durability requirements

Any added component had to withstand heat, vibration, and repeated use in an industrial environment without degrading performance.

Zero tolerance for production disruption

Testing and implementation had to occur without stopping the production line, requiring fast prototyping and real-world validation.Brand expression

Prototyping

I designed and built a functional safety guard prototype to test real-world interaction and safety.

A Collaborative, Human-Centered Solution

The project required close collaboration with production operators, industrial engineers, and safety managers to ensure the solution integrated seamlessly into existing workflows without disrupting productivity or operational safety.

The final design introduces a physical safety guard that acts as a direct protective barrier while maintaining operator access to critical machine controls. This approach abstracts away the complexities of high-temperature exposure, making the operation safer, more intuitive, and less reliant on inconsistent PPE usage.

Through iterative prototyping and real-world testing on the production line, the design was refined to balance safety, usability, and efficiency, demonstrating how UX methodology can solve challenges even in high-risk industrial environments.

Impact

Giving peace of mind to millions of operators while eliminating chemical and burn risks

Key Learnings

• Human-centered design applies beyond screens

• Simple physical barriers can solve systemic risks

• Field research is critical in high-stakes environments

  
  

  

This project demonstrated how design can eliminate risk, restore trust, and create safer systems for people.