Program Elements
Requirements
Machine safeguarding is critical to protect workers from injury caused by moving parts, flying debris, and other hazards associated with machinery. Proper safeguards help prevent accidents such as cuts, crushes, amputations, and entanglements. Safety regulations, like those from OSHA, set clear requirements for guarding machines to ensure workplace safety.
- General Requirements:
- All moving parts of machines must be guarded to prevent any direct contact by operators or bystanders.
- Guards must be strong, securely attached, and designed so they cannot be easily removed or bypassed.
- Guards should not create additional hazards, such as sharp edges or obstructed visibility.
- Emergency stop controls must be easily accessible and functional.
- Woodworking Tools:
- Blade guards must cover the saw blade except where the cutting occurs, to prevent accidental contact.
- Anti-kickback devices stop or slow down wood pieces that might be thrown backward toward the operator.
- Push sticks or push blocks must be used to safely feed small stock into cutting tools, keeping hands away from blades.
- Dust collection systems help reduce airborne particles, improving visibility and respiratory safety.
- Metalworking Tools:
- Guards on lathes must shield rotating parts such as chucks and spindles to prevent entanglement or contact.
- Milling machines require barriers around cutting tools and rotating parts to protect operators from flying chips and debris.
- Grinders must have adjustable guards around the abrasive wheels to contain sparks and fragments if a wheel breaks.
- Personal protective equipment (PPE), like eye and face protection, is important to complement guarding.
- Conveyors and Power Transmission Equipment:
- Belts and pulleys must be enclosed or guarded to prevent fingers, hair, or clothing from being caught and pulled in.
- Chains and sprockets require guards to stop accidental contact and reduce the risk of crushing injuries.
- Shafts must be guarded along their length to prevent entanglement and impact injuries.
- Access doors or panels covering power transmission parts must be interlocked to stop machinery when opened.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
7-3. According to the Machine Guarding Safety Program, why must machine guards be securely attached?
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