Guard machine maintenance

If a machine is properly guarded and an employee fails to replace the guard after maintenance or setup, an injury can now be related to two causes the conditions and the worker s behavior. If management fails to inspect the workplace and enforce the machine-guard rule, an additional cause can be traced to an injury. 

Normally a guard is installed on a moving part of the machine, which acts as a barrier to prevent the entry of any part of the human body in the hazardous area. It is also possible that a safety device is installed that prevents or interrupts the operation if part of the operator s body is in a hazardous area or requires its withdrawal prior to machine operation. The guard or safety device itself must not constitute a hazard, must be safe, low maintenance, easy-to-use, automatically controlled, or fixed on the machines. There are different types of guards and safety devices available according to the design and demands of machines. 

Guards and guard devices may not provide enough protection for all the operations and activities involved in the use, maintenance, cleaning and repair of machines and tools. Several safeguarding procedures will help prevent accidents from occurring. Remember, procedures do not remove hazards. 

Those involved in work that is not part of normal operations, such as maintenance and cleaning of machines and equipment, must learn special safety techniques. Maintenance and cleaning may require removal of guards or testing machine performance. The workers may need to implement lockout and tagout procedures, but certain tasks require machine operation. These workers may have exposure to hazards during normal operations. 

This section describes the required guarding, inspections, and maintenance requirements for hand and portable tools. It includes tools employees may own and use on the job. Lawn mowers and other internal-combustion-engine-powered machines are included in this section. The proper procedures for using portable jacks are also covered in this section. 

Equipment must be designed so that convenient accessibility is provided for maintenance facilities and tools must be designed such that maintenance related service controls, instruments, lube points, shut off valves etc. are visible and fully accessible from the shop floor in a convenient location outside of machine guarding. 

Planned maintenance and inspection of machines and guards Systems of work (which minimise needs for dangerous access)... 

Where guards are removed for maintenance, they must be replaced before the machine is used for normal work again. 

Fixed guards have the advantage of being simple, always in position, difficult to remove and almost maintenance free. Their disadvantage is that they do not always properly prevent access, they are often left off by maintenance staff and can create difficulties for the operation of the machine. 

Aside from the minor servicing exception, an employer can avoid the requirements of the LOTO standard through the use of an alternative method which eliminates employee exposure to servicing and maintenance hazards — i.e., through the use of guarding methods that meet the requirements of Machinery and Machine Guarding, 29 CFR Part 1910, Subpart O, and Bakery Equipment, 1910.263. The internal guards you reference would satisfy this exception if they complied with these standards. 

But during assembly, commissioning, maintenance or adjustment It Is certain that the guards or protectors will be opened and that personnel will come Into contact with the machine and with Its hazards. 

Ineffective machine guarding Defective materials and tools Improper or poor equipment design Using wrong tool or using tool improperly Poor preventive maintenance procedures... 

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