Machine Safeguarding

During this century, as the use of machinery has increased in the workplace, so has the number of machine-related injuries. Injuries such as crushed hands and arms, severed fingers, and blindness now account for a significant number of all workplace injuries. In many cases, the injuries are serious enough to affect the employee s ability to continue to work sometimes, permanently. In addition to the cost to injured workers, there are additional costs to employers: medical payments, workers compensation, lost work days, and supervisory time.
Machine safeguarding has become an important means of keeping the workplace safe. Machine safeguarding refers to specific controls designed to prevent employees from coming into contact with equipment that could cause injury. By understanding where the hazards exist in your workplace, supervisory personnel can help ensure that proper safeguards are in place to protect employees. In addition, all employees who work with potentially hazardous machinery or operations need to understand how machine safeguards work and how to use them to prevent injury.
Machine Safeguarding will help ensure that your personnel will recognize mechanical hazards of your equipment and will convince your employees to use safeguards to properly reduce hazards, and to appreciate the limitations of machine safeguards. The course will make sure your employees are aware of safeguarding requirements and will prepare each employee with the knowledge and understanding needed to apply general safety practices when using machines.
TOPICS
The course presents interactive instruction covering the following topical areas:
Hazards
Moving Parts
Actions
Safeguards
Reasons for Use
Physical Barriers
Safety Devices
Awareness
Operator Awareness
Safe Use
Minimum Requirements
General Safety Measures
Using Proper Procedure
Specific Equipment Requirements
Responsibility

PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES
This course will measure mastery on each of the following performance objectives. Upon completion, workers will be able to...
Recognize mechanical hazards of your equipment
1. List the two categories of mechanical hazards.
2. Given examples, identify the type of motion hazard described.
3. List specific hazards machines create.
4. Agree that inserting or feeding material by hand can bring you closer to the hazard point.
Use safeguards to properly reduce hazards
1. Explain what a guard is.
2. Evaluate reasons for using safeguards.
3. List the various types of guards.
4. Identify safety devices used to reduce machine hazards.
5. Define Point of Operation .
Appreciate the limitations of machine safeguards
1. Recall that not all machines can be guarded completely.
2. Explain that hazards increase when a machine requires operator feeding or manipulating materials by hand.
3. Identify mechanical power transmission hazards.
Be aware of safeguard requirements
1. List the general minimum requirements for all safeguards.
2. Site an example of a damaged safeguard creating a hazard.
3. Explain the importance of safeguards being easy to work with.
Apply general safety practices when using machines
1. Recall general safety procedures when working with machinery.
2. Agree that specific equipment could have unique requirements that need to be observed.
3. Recognize that employees and management both share the responsibility for making sure safeguards are in place.
4. Agree that relying on reflexes will not avoid all hazards.