Machine Guarding
This page will provide machine guarding basics.
Purpose of Machine Guarding
What is Machine Guarding?
Machine guarding is an Engineering Control used to keep employees safe from moving machine parts that could cause harm due to inadvertent, careless, or accidental contact. Common machine hazards include cutting, pinching, punching, rotating, draw-in, shearing, and nip points.
What areas require protection?
To avoid injury, always be mindful of three primary danger zones:
- Point of Operation: The location where work is performed on material (e.g., cutting, shaping, boring, or forming).
- Power Transmission Devices: Components of the mechanical system that transmit energy to perform work, such as flywheels, pulleys, belts, connecting rods, couplings, cams, spindles, chains, cranks, and gears.
- Other Moving Parts: All components that move while the machine is operating, including reciprocating, rotating, and transverse parts, as well as feed mechanisms and auxiliary attachments.
Types of Machine Guards
Fixed Guards
Permanent barriers that prevent physical access to dangerous moving parts.
Interlocked Guards
Safety guards designed to automatically shut off power to the machine if opened or removed.
Adjustable Guards
Guards that can be manually adjusted to accommodate different material sizes and operations while maintaining protection.
Self-Adjusting Guards
Guards that dynamically move with the material being fed into the machine to offer continuous protection.
Guarding Requirements & Safety Rules
What are the key requirements for machine guards?
- Prevent Contact: Must prevent body parts or clothing from contacting hazardous moving components.
- Secure: Firmly attached to the machine and not easily bypassed or removed.
- Protect from Falling Objects: Prevent debris or objects from falling into moving components.
- Create No New Hazards: Free of shear points, jagged edges, or unfinished rough surfaces.
Key Safety Rules
- Always inspect guards before operating machinery.
- NEVER remove, modify, or disable safety guards.
- If a guard is missing or damaged, report it IMMEDIATELY.
- Keep hands, tools, and loose clothing far away from moving parts.
- Follow all Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) procedures when servicing or repairing machines.
Consequences of Bypassing Machine Guards
- Severe Injuries & Fatalities: Bypassing guards leads directly to severe amputations, crushed limbs, or fatal accidents.
- Flying Debris Hazards: Removing guards increases the risk of eye injuries or deep puncture wounds from ejected material.
- Compromised Workplace Safety Culture: Ignoring safety measures puts co-workers at risk and sets a dangerous precedent.
Additional Resources
Training & References