Convey Safety with Conveyors

Inform your workers how to dress safely when they’ll be working with and around conveyors.

• Never wear loose clothing around a conveyor. Long hair can be a hazard—cover it or tie it back.
• Wear sturdy shoes and a hard hat to protect you from falling objects.
• You may also need safety glasses and a dust mask if the work area is dusty.

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Train your employees to follow these important safety rules when working around conveyors.

• Don’t start equipment if a visual inspection shows any problems.
• Make sure all guards are in place.
• Know where the “start” and “stop” buttons are. Are they clearly marked? Keep the area around them clear at all times. In case of an emergency, it is vital to get to them immediately. Most conveyors have extra emergency pull cords that run the length of the conveyor.
• Know about any extra safety devices in your facility.
• Know the warning signal when the conveyer is being started. Make sure no co-workers are too close to the conveyor before actually starting the equipment.
• Obey all signs warning of danger areas.
• Never climb, step, walk, or ride on a conveyor.
• Know the load limit for the conveyor and never exceed it.
• Practice good housekeeping around the conveyor—loose pieces of scrap or dust and dirt can cause a clog or jam.
• NEVER try to clear a jam when the conveyer is running! Stop the conveyer, turn off the power, and clear the jam only if it is obvious how to do so and your supervisor permits it.
• Sound the warning signal before restarting the conveyor.
• If in doubt about how to proceed, call your supervisor or a repairman. Following lockout/tagout procedures may be necessary to clear the jam and prevent it from happening again.
• Only authorized employees who have had special training are allowed to perform lockout/tagout procedures.

Conveyors are designed to make operations more efficient. By taking sensible precautions, your workers can benefit from the conveyor’s efficiencies and minimize its potential hazards. Just make sure they remember the safety rules and follow them every time.

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Why It Matters

• Workers are injured when their clothing, fingers, hands, or other body parts get caught in the conveyor or its moving parts.
• Materials back up on the conveyor as a result of blockages, which creates a risk that the materials may fall off the conveyor belt—and may injure employees who are working alongside or underneath the conveyor.
• Runaway conveyors can make the materials on them move along too quickly, which creates a risk that the materials will pile up and fall off the conveyor, possibly injuring workers in the area.
• Overloads can cause the system to stop, “blow” the electrical controls, or harm mechanical parts.
• Dust clouds can be created when loads of powdered or other fine materials aren’t covered. If the dusts are hazardous, there’s even more of a health danger.

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