Related Mechanical Hazards
In addition to the fundamental mechanical motions and actions, there are several other important related mechanical hazards that workers and safety professionals must recognize and address. These hazards often arise from the interaction between moving machine parts and can lead to severe injuries if proper safeguards are not in place.
Impact Hazards: These occur when machine parts or materials suddenly strike or hit a worker. For example, a worker operating a mechanical press could be struck by a piece of metal that breaks loose or is ejected unexpectedly. Other examples include:
- Being hit by the ram of a power press.
- Flying chips from a grinding wheel or lathe.
- Tools or parts dislodged from high-speed equipment.
Injuries may include bruises, fractures, or blunt force trauma, depending on the impact's speed and force.
Crushing Hazards: Crushing occurs when body parts are caught between two objects. Common scenarios include:
- Hands caught between the moving plates of a hydraulic press.
- Feet trapped under a moving forklift or heavy pallet.
- Fingers drawn into a conveyor belt pinch point.
These incidents can result in broken bones, amputations, or even fatal internal injuries.
Entanglement Hazards: Entanglement happens when items such as loose clothing, hair, or jewelry get caught in moving parts. Examples include:
- A worker’s sleeve getting caught in a rotating drill press.
- Long hair entangled in a spinning shaft or gear assembly.
- Gloves caught in a conveyor belt roller.
Such hazards can cause severe injuries like lacerations, degloving, or strangulation.
Shear Points: These are locations where two machine parts move past each other closely in opposite directions, like scissor blades. Examples include:
- The shearing action of a metal-cutting machine.
- The blades of a paper cutter or trimmer.
- Stamping machines used in automotive manufacturing.
Shear points can easily cut, crush, or sever fingers and limbs if not properly guarded.
Pinch Points: Pinch points form where one or more parts move toward each other or past a stationary object. Common examples are:
- Gears meshing together in a gearbox.
- Chain and sprocket drives on industrial machinery.
- Rollers on printing or textile machines.
Pinch points are notorious for causing crush injuries and amputations.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
1-11. What is one action workers can take to prevent entanglement hazards?
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