MACHINE SAFEGUARDING
CHAPTER 12
INTRODUCTION
Crushed hands and arms, cut off fingers, blindness - the
list of possible machinery - related injuries is as long as it
is horrifying.
Safeguards are essential for protecting workers from
unnecessary and preventable injuries.
A good rule to remember is: Any machine part, function, or
process which cause injury must be safeguarded.
When the operation of a machine or accidental contact
with it can injure the operator or others in the surrounding
area, the hazards must be either controlled or eliminated.
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Where Mechanical Hazards Occur?
Dangerous moving parts in three basic areas
require safeguarding:
The point of operation: that point where work is performed
on the material, such as cutting, shaping, boring, or forming
of stock.
Power transmission apparatus: all components of the
mechanical system which transmit energy to the part of the
machine performing the work. These components include
flywheels, pulleys, belts, connecting rods, couplings, cams,
chains, cranks, and gears.
Other moving parts: all parts of the machine which move
while the machine is working. Include reciprocating, rotating,
and transverse moving parts, as well as feed mechanisms
and auxiliary parts of the machine.
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Point of Operation
That point where work is performed on the material, such as cutting,
shaping, boring, or forming of stock must be guarded.
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Rotating Parts
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In-Running Nip Points
Belt
Rotating and
cylinders pulley
Chain
and
sprocket
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Requirements for Safeguards
Prevent contact - prevent worker’s body or clothing
from contacting hazardous moving parts
Secure - firmly secured to machine and not easily
removed
Protect from falling objects - ensure that no objects
can fall into moving parts
Create no new hazards - must not have shear points,
jagged edges or unfinished surfaces
Create no interference - must not prevent worker from
performing the job quickly and comfortably
Allow safe lubrication - if possible, be able to lubricate
the machine without removing the safeguards
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Methods of Machine Safeguarding
Guards
Location/distance
fixed
interlocked
Feeding and ejection methods
adjustable
automatic and/or semi-
self-adjusting automatic feed and
ejection
Devices robots
presence sensing
pullback Miscellaneous aids
restraint awareness barriers
safety controls (tripwire cable, protective shields
two-hand control, etc.) hand-feeding tools
gates
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Fixed Guard
Provides a barrier - a permanent part of the machine, preferable to all
other types of guards.
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Interlocked Guard
When this type of guard is opened or removed, the tripping mechanism
and/or power automatically shuts off or disengages, and the machine
cannot cycle or be started until the guard is back in place.
Interlocked
guard on
revolving drum
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Adjustable Guard
Provides a barrier which may be adjusted to facilitate a variety of
production operations.
Band saw blade
adjustable guard
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Self-Adjusting Guard
Circular table saw
self-adjusting guard
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Pullback Device
Utilizes a series of
cables attached to the
operator’s hands, wrists,
and/or arms
Primarily used on
machines with stroking
action
Allows access to the
point of operation when
the slide/ram is up
Withdraws hands when
the slide/ram begins to
descend
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Pullback Device (cont’d)
Hands in die, feeding Die closed
Point of operation exposed Hands withdrawn from point
Pullback device attached and of operation by pullback
properly adjusted device
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Restraint Device
Uses cables or straps
attached to the operator’s
hands and a fixed point
Must be adjusted to let the
operator’s hands travel within
a predetermined safe area
Hand-feeding tools are often
necessary if the operation
involves placing material into
the danger area
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Safety Tripwire Cables
Device located
around the
perimeter of or
near the danger
area
Operator must be
able to reach the
cable to stop the
machine
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Two-Hand Control
Requires constant,
concurrent pressure to
activate the machine
The operator’s hands
are required to be at a
safe location (on
control buttons) and at
a safe distance from
the danger area while
the machine
completes its closing
cycle
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Gate
Movable barrier device which protects the operator at the point
of operation before the machine cycle can be started
If the gate does not fully close, machine will not function
Gate Open Gate Closed 18
Safeguarding by Location/Distance
Locate the machine or
its dangerous moving
parts so that they are not
accessible or do not
present a hazard to a
worker during normal
operation
Maintain a safe distance
from the danger area
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Robots
Machines that load
and unload stock,
assemble parts,
transfer objects, or
perform other tasks
Best used in high-
production processes
requiring repeated
routines where they
prevent other hazards
to employees
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Protective Shields
These do not give complete protection from machine
hazards, but do provide some protection from flying
particles, splashing cutting oils, or coolants.
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Holding Tools
Used to place and
remove stock in
the danger area
Not to be used
instead of other
machine
safeguards, but
as a supplement
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Some Examples of OSHA Machine
Guarding Requirements . . . .
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Guarding Fan Blades
When the periphery of the blades of a fan is less than 7 feet above the
floor or working level, the blades must be guarded with a guard
having openings no larger than 1/2 inch.
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Abrasive Wheel Machinery
Work rests on offhand grinding machines must be kept adjusted closely
to the wheel with a maximum opening of 1/8-inch to prevent the
work from being jammed between the wheel and the rest, which
may result in wheel breakage.
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Abrasive Wheel Machinery
The distance between the wheel periphery and the
adjustable tongue must never exceed 1/4-inch.
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Power-Transmission Apparatus
Power-transmission Unguarded belt
apparatus (shafting, and pulley
flywheels, pulleys,
belts, chain drives,
etc.) less than 7 feet
from the floor or
working platform must
be guarded.
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Machine Safety Responsibilities
Management
ensure all machinery is properly guarded
Supervisors
train employees on specific guard rules in their areas
ensure machine guards remain in place and are functional
immediately correct machine guard deficiencies
Employees
do not remove guards unless machine is locked and tagged
report machine guard problems to supervisors immediately
do not operate equipment unless guards are in place
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Training
Operators should receive training on the following:
Hazards associated with particular machines
How the safeguards provide protection and the hazards
for which they are intended
How and why to use the safeguards
How and when safeguards can be removed and by whom
What to do if a safeguard is damaged, missing, or unable
to provide adequate protection
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Summary
Safeguards are essential for protecting workers from
unwanted and preventable machinery-related injuries
The point of operation, as well as all parts of the
machine that move while the machine is working, must
be safeguarded
A good rule to remember is: Any machine part, function,
or process which may cause injury must be safeguarded
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