Machine Safeguarding

Machine Safeguarding

• Machine-related injuries can be severe, including crushed hands and arms, cut off fingers, and blindness, hence safeguards are essential to protect workers.

Point of Operation

• The point of operation is where work is performed on the material, such as cutting, shaping, boring, or forming of stock, and it must be guarded.

Rotating Parts

• In-running nip points, belts, pulleys, chains, and sprockets are rotating parts that require safeguarding.

Methods of Machine Safeguarding

• Fixed Guard: Provides a permanent barrier, preferable to all other types of guards.
• Interlocked Guard: Automatically shuts off or disengages the machine when opened or removed, and cannot cycle or be started until the guard is back in place.
• Adjustable Guard: Provides a barrier that can be adjusted to facilitate various production operations.
• Self-Adjusting Guard: Automatically adjusts to different sizes or shapes of material being processed.
• Pullback Device: Utilizes a series of cables attached to the operator's hands, wrists, and/or arms to withdraw hands when the slide/ram begins to descend.
• Restraint Device: Uses cables or straps attached to the operator's hands and a fixed point to restrict access to the point of operation.
• Gate: A movable barrier device that protects the operator at the point of operation before the machine cycle can be started.

Safeguarding by Location/Distance

• Locate machines or their dangerous moving parts to make them inaccessible or non-hazardous to workers during normal operation.
• Maintain a safe distance from the danger area.

Robots

• Machines that load and unload stock, assemble parts, transfer objects, or perform other tasks, best used in high-production processes requiring repeated routines to prevent hazards to employees.

Holding Tools

• Used to place and remove stock in the danger area, to prevent injuries.

OSHA Machine Guarding Requirements

• OSHA has specific requirements for machine guarding to prevent injuries and ensure worker safety.