Guard Against Amputations

The purpose of machine guarding is to protect the machine operator and other employees in the work area from hazards created by:

• Ingoing nip points
• Rotating parts
• Cutting and shearing
• Punching and bending
• Reciprocating and transversing motions
• Flying chips and sparks

Examples of machine guards include:

• Barrier guards
• Light curtains
• Two-hand operating devices

OSHA mandates that machines that expose employees to injury be guarded (29 CFR 1910.212). The guarding device must conform to any appropriate standards. If specific standards aren’t available, then the machine construction should prevent operators from having any part of their body in the danger zone during the operating cycle (29 CFR 1910.212[a][3][ii]).

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Special handtools used for placing and removing material from point of operation areas must allow easy handling of the material without the operator placing a hand in the danger zone.  Such tools must not replace guards, however (29 CFR 1910.212[a][3][iii]).

Point of Operation Guarding

Machines that usually require point of operation guarding include:

• Guillotine cutters
• Shears
• Alligator shears
• Power presses
• Milling machines 
• Power saws
• Jointers
• Portable power tools
• Forming rolls and calenders

Revolving barrels, containers, and drums must be guarded by an enclosure interlocked with the drive mechanism, so that the barrel, drum, or container cannot revolve unless the guard enclosure is in place (29 CFR 1910.212[a][4]).

Exposure to blades is another situation that requires guarding. When the periphery of the blades of a fan is less than 7 feet above the floor or working level, the blades must be guarded. The guard must not have openings larger than ½ inch (29 CFR 1910.212[a][5]).

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• Machine guarding and lockout/tagout
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If you’d like to personally evaluate 7-Minute Safety Trainer and see how it can build safety awareness, we’ll be happy to send it to you for 30 days on a no-cost, no-obligation trial basis. Just let us know, and we’ll arrange it.