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909 Offshore Oil and Gas Safety II
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909 Offshore Oil and Gas Safety II

Best Practices

Machine Guarding

To provide proper safety, all machinery or equipment with moving parts that present a hazard to employees working in proximity to the moving parts or equipment should be equipped with machine guards.

Machine Guarding
  • Before removing guards, use a lockout/tagout process to determine and isolate all energy isolation devices.
  • Properly guard and insulate, when required, all piping and exhausts that could cause burns.
  • Never remove guards on portable tools.
  • Replace removed guards before the machinery is returned to operation.

When working with machinery guards, use the following precautions:

  • Before any equipment is put in service, the worker in charge verifies that all machinery guards are in place.
  • Keep machinery guards in place at all times when the equipment is in operation.
  • Post a sign or erect a barricade before removing a guard.
  • Equipment should not be run without guards unless an approved Management of Change (MOC) process is in place.

Abrasive Wheel Grinders

Typical bench and pedestal grinders often have two abrasive wheels, or one abrasive wheel and one special-purpose wheel such as a wire brush, a buffing wheel, or a sandstone wheel.

Employee using a tape measure to check required clearances
Be sure you have the required clearances.

When using bench grinders:

  • Check for the protective guard, and a gap within 1/8 inch between the grinding disc and the tool rest.
  • Check that the adjustable tongue guard on the top side of the grinder is within 1/4 inch of the wheel.
  • Ring test the abrasive wheel and ensure it is free from cracks or other defects. A stable and undamaged wheel will give a clear metallic "ring" tone when tapped.
  • Wear goggles and full-face shields.
  • The on/off switch (preferably a dead-man's switch) should be within reach when using the grinder.
  • Only trained and competent workers should change grinding discs.
  • The RPM rating of the grinding disk should match, or be greater than, that of the grinder rated RPM.
  • Never grind wood, plastics, or aluminum.

Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.

3-5. What should be the gap between the grinding disc and the tool rest?

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