MACHINE

SAFETY
-Harmful lack of adequate workplace ergonomics: handling
and process design

-Controls for machine hazard

Safety guards
Safety devices
Types of guards
Types of safety devices

Harmful lack of adequate workplace

ergonomics: handling and process design
Where?
Excessive repetition of tasks.
Excessive force used in tasks.
Prolonged and repetitious, awkward postures during work.

Mechanical stress, excessively stressful handling.

Vibration.
Excessive and prolonged cold, heat, poor lighting, noise.

Any of the above, not excessively necessarily, but in combination.

Harmful lack of adequate workplace

ergonomics: handling and process design
Awkward Handling Postures alone may include:
elbows raised above wrist height

excessive wrist bending/deviation

pinching materials/products/tools constantly or constant hammering
forearm rotation or twisting constantly

extreme elbow bending/flexion

back bending/flexion, twisting or lateral bending excessively

Harmful lack of adequate workplace

ergonomics: handling and process design
What can happen?
Soft tissue injury: e.g. sprain can happen.
Injury causes accident: e.g. sprain can cause fall or dropping, then set off another accident.
Trigger Finger: repeated finger flexion, prolonged gripping.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: repeated wrist extension or flexion, ulnar deviation, excessive pinch force.
Raynauds Phenomenon: in fingers due to prolonged use of vibrating tools.
Tenosynovitis
Epicondylitis
Tendinitis

Controls
There are several means for controlling machine hazards:
Safety Guards.
Safety Devices.

Safety Procedures and Practices.

Personal Protection.

Safety Procedures and Practices

Employee education

Hazard identification

Personal Protection

Safety Guards and Devices

Guards and safety devices can help protect you from dangerous contact.
Guards, barriers, and safety devices must prevent your fingers, arms or your
whole body from getting into a danger zone.
Guards must be designed and placed correctly: right size opening and distance to
person.
Guards must work well and fit the machine right always.

Types of Guards
Fixed Barriers
Interlocking Guards: electrical, mechanical
Adjustable and Self-adjusting Guards

Fixed Guards
Advantages
Maximum
protection
Variety of
applications
In-house
fabrication
Low cost &
maintenance

Disadvantages
Poor visibility
Must remove for repairs

OSHA 3067

10

Interlocked Guards
Switch that when opened stops power
Advantage
Maximum protection
Portion of guard easily removed for access

Disadvantage
Can be overridden by employee
High cost
Maintenance required
11

Adjustable Guards
Advantage
Flexibility
In-house fabrication

Disadvantage
Not maximum
protection
Rely on worker to
properly position
May prohibit easy
access

Bandsaw blade
adjustable guard

OSHA 3067

12

Types of Safety Devices

Presence-sensing Devices
Two-hand Control

Presence-Sensing Device

www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/machineguarding/presses/psd.html
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Two Hand Control