Any job can be hazardous. However, people working with or around heavy machinery and industrial equipment face a greater risk than most. Each machine poses a unique set of mechanical and non-mechanical hazards, but the good news is that facility owners and managers can take simple steps to protect employees from unnecessary occupational hazards. Read on to find out how.
Methods of Safeguarding Machinery
There are five generally accepted methods for safeguarding machinery. Machine guards are the most commonly used and practical type of safeguard, as they prevent contact from potential danger zones. However, automated feeding and ejection mechanisms may also be considered safeguards for workers since they eliminate exposure to the machine’s point of operation, and there are devices available to limit access to hazardous areas such as gates, safety doors, and sensors that detect dangerous chemicals and other potential invisible hazards.
Machine location and distance are also considered major parts of coming up with a plan for protecting employees, who could be placed in danger if the machines are too close together or create a hazardous work area. Finally, there are miscellaneous aids that can be used to protect people. These include shields to keep things like sparks and flying debris contained, handheld tools operators can use in potentially hazardous points of operation, and warning barriers to let people know about potential hazards.
Find the Right Type of Guard
Machine guards must be chosen based on the type of equipment and the specific hazards it might pose. In some cases, that may mean automated machine safety doors that separate hazardous processes from people and the rest of the equipment. In others, it could require installing slip clutches to include safer interactions with automated machines.
Machine guards should meet OSHA standards for use, which means they must:
- Provide a physical barrier to prevent contact with the machine’s danger zone while it is operating.
- Be secured in place so that workers cannot remove them.
- Create no new hazards, such as shear points or jagged edges.
- Not interfere with a worker’s proper operation of the machine.
The best solution to finding industrial safety products like machine guards is to buy them directly from a trusted manufacturer. Dynatect is an industry leader in industrial equipment protection, including machine guarding. They’re a good place to start.
Types of Injuries Prevented by Adequate Machine Guards and Safety Measures
The types of injuries that occur in industrial work areas vary significantly depending on the nature of the hazards that are present. Sometimes, the greatest hazard is fall injuries from workers navigating between open pits. In others, pinch points on son scissor lifts and tilt tables could pose a greater risk. Chemicals used during the manufacturing process must also be safely contained to prevent them from causing respiratory injuries.
How to Get Started
Ready to start making changes and ensure the safety of an industrial workspace? The best way to get started is by making a list of potential issues to address. From there, find a qualified machine guard and equipment protection vendor to find out what the best options are for each issue.
