Safely Guarding Your Machinery A Guide to Machine Guarding Safety

 

"Safely Guarding Your Machinery: 

A Guide to Machine Guarding Safety"

Safely Guarding Your Machinery A Guide to Machine Guarding Safety

The use of machinery is widespread in many industries and in home also, and it is essential to ensure the safety of employees when operating and maintaining these machines. Machine guarding is a critical aspect of workplace safety and helps prevent serious injuries and fatalities. The below guidelines will provide information on the importance of machine guarding and ways to ensure that your machinery is safely guarded.

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Machine Guarding

Machine guarding is the practice of protecting employees from hazardous areas on or around machinery. This can include guards for moving parts, barriers for electrical components, and safety switches for emergency stop functions. The purpose of machine guarding is to prevent employees from coming into contact with dangerous parts of the machinery especially the rotating parts, such as gears, shafts, and other moving parts that can cause serious injury.

Importance of Machine Guarding

Machine guarding is important because it helps to prevent serious injuries and fatalities in the workplace. Without proper machine guarding, employees are at risk of amputation, crushing injuries, lacerations, and other serious injuries. In addition, machine guarding can also prevent machinery damage and downtime, which can result in costly repairs and lost productivity.

The Types of Machine Guards

There are several types of machine guards, including:

Fixed guards

Interlocking guards

Adjustable guards

Self-adjusting guards

Two-hand control guards

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Fixed guards are permanent and cannot be easily removed. Interlocking guards only allow the machine to operate when the guard is in place. Adjustable guards can be adjusted to accommodate different types of workpieces. Self-adjusting guards automatically adjust to the size of the workpiece. Two-hand control guards require the use of both hands to start the machine, reducing the risk of injury.

How to Ensure Safe Machine Guarding

Conduct Regular Inspections

Conduct regular inspections of your machinery to ensure that all guards and safety devices are in good working order. Ensure the guards are placed properly after the maintenance or any inspection.

Train Employees on Safe Machine Operation

Train employees on safe machine operation, including the proper use of guards and safety devices.

Replace Worn or Damaged Guards

Replace any worn or damaged guards to ensure that the machinery is safely guarded.

Follow Manufacturer's Recommendations

Follow the manufacturer's recommendations for machine guarding to ensure that the machinery is properly guarded. Provide signages to alert employees.

Keep Work areas Clean and Organized, Practice 5S

Keep work areas clean and organized to reduce the risk of tripping and falling, which can result in injury.

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The Importance of Proper Maintenance

In addition to regular inspections and replacement of worn or damaged guards, it is also important to properly maintain machinery to ensure that it continues to function safely. Proper maintenance includes cleaning and lubricating moving parts, tightening loose bolts and screws, and replacing worn or damaged parts. Failing to properly maintain machinery can result in dangerous malfunctions and put employees at risk of injury.

Risks of Bypassing Machine Guards

Bypassing machine guards, either intentionally or unintentionally, can result in serious injury. For example, removing a guard to clean a machine can result in an injury if the machine is accidentally activated. It is important to never bypass machine guards and to always follow proper machine operation procedures.

Enforcing Machine Guarding Standards

It is the responsibility of employers to ensure that their machinery is properly guarded and that employees are trained on safe machine operation. OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) has established machine guarding standards to help protect employees.

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Machine guarding is an important aspect of workplace safety and helps prevent serious injuries and fatalities. By following proper machine guarding practices, such as conducting regular inspections, training employees on safe machine operation, and replacing worn or damaged guards, you can ensure that your machinery is safely guarded and that your employees are protected from hazardous areas.

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