3020 - 12 - Feeding & Ejecting Safeguards - SawbladeUniversity.com
3020 – 01 – Introduction

3020 – 01 – Introduction

Machine parts in motion present one of the biggest hazards in the modern workplace. Accidents involving tooling, belts, flywheels, or moving chains can range in severity from scrapes to fatal cuts. Flying sparks and chips can also inflict eye injuries, burns, and abrasions. Amputation is the most common and debilitating injury caused by machine components in motion. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) determined that around half of all workplace amputations happen in the manufacturing industry. One of the best ways to prevent serious injury from machine components is machine guarding. Machine guards are sturdy covers that protect workers […]

3020 – 02 – Understanding Machine Components

3020 – 02 – Understanding Machine Components

A full understanding of the dangers moving machine parts present is one of the best ways to maintain your safety. Just three types of mechanical components present the most risks: – Point of operation, where the cut occurs.– Power transmission apparatuses, portions of the machine that convey force, like gears, chains, belts, pulleys, and flywheels.– Positioning apparatuses, portions of the machine that move and support tools and parts like machine table It’s wise to stay away from all these areas of any machine. You should also know whether the switch is engaged. Sometimes, machines that are unplugged still release jolts […]

3020 – 03 – Understanding Machine Motion

3020 – 03 – Understanding Machine Motion

A full knowledge of the way machines move also helps prepare workers for the hazards of a manufacturing workplace. Every type of mechanical motion has the potential to cause harm, but if you’re ready for the way the machine will move, you’re more likely to stay safe and out of it’s way. OSHA describes four major types of mechanical motion:• Reciprocation motion is a back and forth or up and down movement that worktables and presses produce. When it comes to reciprocation motion, the most common injury occurs when a worker is caught between the moving part and a stationary […]

3020 – 04 – Understanding Machine Actions

3020 – 04 – Understanding Machine Actions

A machine action is a term that encompasses both the task a machine completes and the motion required to perform that task. Knowing the in-and-outs of machine actions can help keep workers safe while on the clock. Different types of machine actions include:• A cutting action includes the variety of actions exhibited by tools like saws. Touching blades like these – even by accident – could cause serious harm to workers.• A punching action is a reciprocal motion, like the movement of a ram in a press as it cuts through material. Injuries associated with punching action involve workers pulled […]

3020 – 05 – Understanding Machine Activity

3020 – 05 – Understanding Machine Activity

Even if a machine is not running, the manufacturing employees risk injury when they work machine components. It’s necessary to assume that the machine could lurch into action at any time. To reduce the potential for injury, most manufacturing shops group tasks that require interaction with machine parts into specific activities, like: Adjusting the machiningNormal operationClearing jamsKeeping the machine cleanSetting up and prepping the machineKeeping the parts lubricatedBoth scheduled and unscheduled maintenance When these activities are broken down into the individual tasks they require, workers can figure out the possible machine motions, actions, and hazards involved. Then, employees and employers […]

3020 – 06 – Basic Safeguarding Regulation

3020 – 06 – Basic Safeguarding Regulation

OSHA states that machine guarding is the number one way to protect employees from amputation hazards on stationary machines. They require all machines and equipment that generate mechanical movement with hazardous potential to be safeguarded. OSHA has rigorous safety standards for distinct types of machines like saws, conveyors, and presses. If a safety standard isn’t readily available for a new machine, OSHA’s still has general standards for machine safeguarding. You can find them in section 1910.212 of the General Industry Regulations. According to OSHA, machine safeguards are indented to ensure worker safety in a variety of ways: • Stops worker […]

3020 – 07 – Standard Safeguarding Procedures

3020 – 07 – Standard Safeguarding Procedures

Any machine that could injure a worker is required by law to be safeguarded by an employer. The majority of modern machinery has safeguarding built in, but not all manufacturing shops will have brand new machinery. Some older machines may not meet modern safety standards and therefore will need to have new guards built and installed by professionals. OSHA also recommends that the equipment manufacturer look over the design in order to ensure that it will protect the worker without disrupting the machine’s capabilities. Manufacturers use machine guards and safeguarding devices to protect workers from hazardous machine components. Machine guards […]

3020 – 08 – Types of Machine Guards

3020 – 08 – Types of Machine Guards

Machine guards need to be secure enough that workers can’t remove or tamper with them. They can be made of metal bars, clear plastic, or other materials. If there are openings in these materials, though, said openings need to be small enough that workers can’t make access the hazardous areas. Machine guards are also designed to not obstruct workers’ view or create pinch points. There are four kinds of machine guards: adjustable, self-adjusting, interlocking, and fixed. An adjustable guard can be placed in various points throughout the machine allowing a wide variety of sizes and stock shapes. They need frequent […]

3020 – 09 – Types of Safeguarding Devices 2

3020 – 09 – Types of Safeguarding Devices 2

By interrupting a machine’s normal cycle, safeguarding devices protect workers, keeping the operators hands well away from the point of operation and moving machine components. Safeguards are separated into a range of different categories.• Wrist devices attach to the operator’s wrists and connect them to the machine. While these devices have largely gone out of use, older machines may still have them. Wrist devices are divided into two different categories:– Restraining devices prevent worker’s hands from accessing hazardous parts of the machine.– Pullback devices remove the worker’s hands when the machine starts.• Sensing devices are placed into the control system […]

3020 – 10 – Types of Foot Control Safeguards

3020 – 10 – Types of Foot Control Safeguards

Foot controls have protections similar to those that shield the hazardous parts of the machine. Foot controls are pedals or buttons that the operators activate with their feet. Because workers operate the machine with their feet, their hands are left free to work. It’s essential for foot controls to be guarded because they can accidentally be activated when worker’s hands are close to the point of operation. The guard drops to stop feet from accidentally turning on the machine. The guards used to shield foot controls are made of heavy steel. They protect the controls both from accidental starts but […]

3020 – 11 – Location-Based Safeguards

3020 – 11 – Location-Based Safeguards

Safeguards can be shield devices, but location is another key way to safeguard machines. When guarding by location, shops use physical space to keep workers away from dangerous machine components. Some shops erect walls or fences to keep workers away form hazardous machinery. Even if machine guards are also used, separating the workers from the point of operation is always a good idea. When you cannot create distance or build a fence, awareness barriers, like bright yellow stripes on the floor or caution tape, can safeguard the area. Bright indicators like these ensure that employees know they’re entering a dangerous […]

3020 – 13 – Understanding  Lockout-Tagout Procedures

3020 – 13 – Understanding Lockout-Tagout Procedures

Unless repair or maintenance is necessary, machine guards should not be tampered with or bypassed. There are a series of procedures, described as lockout-tagout procedures, that ensure employees stay safe when performing maintenance on dangerous machine parts. When proper lockout-tagout processes are followed, much risk can be mitigated. OSHA provides guidelines for lockout/tagout procedures: When machines need maintenance, they need to be disconnected from any power source, locked, and labeled. Many machines have potential energy and stored energy, so it’s necessary to take extra precautions to keep parts from moving. Machine parts should be lowered to keep gravity from putting […]

3020 – 14 – The Importance of Employee Training

3020 – 14 – The Importance of Employee Training

A key part of machine guarding is proper training for all employees. Anybody who interacts with manufacturing machinery should understand how and why machine guards are used. OSHA sets training standards for machine guards. They include:• Identification of machines safety hazards• Identification of safeguards and directions for how to use them• How, when, and why safeguards can be removed.• What a lockout/tagout procedure is and when it should occur• What to do when safeguards are damaged or inadequate Every worker needs to have a foundational understanding of safeguarding, but maintenance workers and machine operators need more specific training. Any time […]

3020 – 15 – Lesson Summary

3020 – 15 – Lesson Summary

The best way to protect workers from harm inflicted by machine components is machine guarding. OSHA enforces proper safeguards for any potentially hazardous tool or machine. If you can’t find OSHA’s specific standards for a machine, its general standards should be followed. Machine components that have potential to inflict harm include the point of operation, power transmission, and positioning apparatuses. It’s key to remember that even when machines are unplugged, they have potential energy that can cause the machine to lurch into action. Machine guards and safeguarding devices are the most common ways of protecting against machine hazards. Machines can […]

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