Essential Machine Guarding Safety Tips to Protect Your Workforce

Machine guarding is a critical safety practice in any workplace with machinery. Machine guards are physical barriers designed to prevent workers from coming into dangerous contact with moving parts, flying debris, or other operational hazards. Effective machine guarding safety tips can save lives, prevent devastating injuries, and protect your most valuable asset—your workforce. To read more about the importance of machine guarding, read this blog.

The consequences of ignoring inadequate machine guarding are severe. Without proper safety measures, workers risk amputations, lacerations, crushing injuries, burns, and even death. Businesses also face legal liabilities, fines, production delays, and damage to their reputation.

Hazard Identification

Identifying potential hazards is the first step toward establishing effective machine guarding practices.

Common machinery hazards include:

Pinch points: Areas where two rotating parts meet or move together and could trap a worker's body part.
Rotating parts: Shafts, gears, belts, and other parts that spin and can cause entanglement or severe injury.
Flying debris: Chips, sparks, and ejected material that can cause eye injuries or other harm.
Sharp edges: Exposed blades or points that can cut or puncture.

To thoroughly identify hazards, conduct a comprehensive walk-through of your facility. Observe machinery in operation, paying attention to moving parts, points of contact, material flow, and worker interactions. Consult machinery manuals, involve experienced operators, and review relevant incident reports.

Risk Assessment

Once hazards have been identified, the next step is to assess the risks associated with each hazard, which is crucial to provide machine safety and fall protection as needed.

A risk assessment involves:

Determining the likelihood of an incident occurring
Evaluating the potential severity of injuries
Prioritizing risks based on their level of danger

When conducting a risk assessment, consider factors such as the frequency of exposure, the number of employees exposed, and the potential for human error. This information will help guide decision-making when selecting machine guarding solutions.

Risk assessments should be conducted regularly and whenever changes are made to machinery, processes, or personnel. Employers can ensure that machine guarding measures remain practical and up-to-date by continuously monitoring and evaluating risks.

Types of Machine Guards

The right type of machine guard depends on the specific hazard and the work's nature. It's essential to choose machine guards that provide the necessary protection, such as guardrail systems while minimizing any interference with production or maintenance tasks.

Here are some of the most common types of machine guards:

Fixed guards: These permanent barriers cannot be removed without special tooling. They're ideal for hazards that cannot change during operation.
Advantages: Provide reliable protection, easy to maintain.
Interlocked guards: When opened or removed, these guards automatically shut off the machine or stop dangerous motion. They're suitable for frequent access.
Benefits: Offer flexibility and ensure the machine is safe during maintenance.
Adjustable spacers: These can be repositioned to accommodate for non-stock machine guard sizes.
Importance: Allows you to modify existing designs
Cutting kits: These are kits that allow you to cut a standard machine guard panel to your required size on site.
Usefulness: Especially helpful where stock size varies significantly.

Other Protection Devices

Impact Barriers:
Purpose: Absorb the force of collisions from vehicles
Types: Heavy-duty guardrails, flexible barriers
Uses: Protect machinery and workers and delineate hazardous zones
Safety Bollards:
Purpose: Control traffic flow, restrict access, provide visual cues
Types: Fixed, removable, flexible
Uses: Create safe pedestrian zones, protect lighter equipment, guide traffic

The choice of machine guard should be based on a thorough risk assessment and consideration of the specific tasks being performed. Sometimes, a combination of guard types may be necessary to provide comprehensive worker protection.

For more information, check out our guide on exploring different types of machine guards.

Proper Installation and Maintenance

Effective machine guarding relies on proper installation and maintenance. When installing machine guards, it is essential to follow manufacturer guidelines and industry standards. Improper installation can compromise the effectiveness of the guard and create additional hazards.

Regular maintenance and inspection of machine guards are equally important. Over time, guards can become damaged, worn, or misaligned, reducing their protective capabilities.

Employers should establish a maintenance and inspection schedule based on machine safety rules that include:

Visual inspections for signs of damage, wear, or missing components
Testing of interlocked guards to ensure proper functioning
Lubrication and adjustment of moving parts
Prompt repair or replacement of damaged or malfunctioning guards

By maintaining machine guards in optimal condition, employers can minimize the risk of accidents and ensure consistent protection for their workforce.

Employee Training

Comprehensive employee training is a critical component of machine guarding safety. All employees who operate, maintain, or work near machinery should receive safety training on the following:

Hazard recognition and identification
Safe operating procedures for each machine
Emergency protocols, including shutdown procedures
Proper use and maintenance of personal protective equipment (PPE)
Reporting procedures for guard failures or hazards

Training should be conducted upon initial employment, whenever new machinery is introduced, and regularly after that to reinforce safe practices. Employers should also ensure that training materials are updated to reflect machinery, processes, or regulation changes. A weekly safety meeting can help keep machine guarding safety at the forefront of employees' minds and provide a platform for addressing any concerns or questions.

Lockout/Tagout Procedures

Lockout/tagout (LOTO) procedures are essential for ensuring the safety of employees during maintenance, servicing, or repair of machinery.

LOTO involves:

Identifying and isolating all energy sources (electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, etc.)
Notifying affected employees of the lockout/tagout
Shutting down equipment and dissipating stored energy
Applying lockout/tagout devices to energy isolation points
Verifying that the equipment is effectively isolated and de-energized

Only trained and authorized employees should perform lockout/tagout procedures, ensuring all equipment is properly installed and has appropriate machine protection. Employers must provide the necessary locks, tags, and other hardware, as well as training on the proper application of LOTO procedures. Failure to follow lockout/tagout procedures can result in serious injuries or fatalities.

Compliance with Standards and Regulations

Machine guarding safety is regulated by various standards and organizations, including:

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
Robotic Industries Association (RIA)

Employers must familiarize themselves with their industry's applicable standards and regulations and ensure compliance. Non-compliance can result in citations, fines, legal liabilities, and, most importantly, an increased risk of employee injuries or fatalities.

Regularly reviewing and updating machine guarding practices to align with changes in regulations and industry best practices is essential for maintaining a safe and compliant workplace.

Axelent: Your Trusted Partner in X-Guard Machine Guarding

Axelent, a Swedish company, provides machine safety solutions and smart systems for efficient and secure industrial facilities, warehouses, storage areas, and wire tray management. With a strong focus on innovation and worker well-being, Axelent has been dedicated to ensuring safety in the workplace for over three decades.

Axelent's X-Guard brand is a flexible and comprehensive machine guarding system that complies with the latest directives and standards. X-Guard offers a wide range of components and accessories, allowing customers to create tailored solutions that maximize safety in their specific work environment.

Key features of X-Guard include:

Modular design for easy installation and reconfiguration
Innovative click-fitting system, eliminating the need for additional tools
Wide range of standard components and smart accessories
Ability to combine different systems for customized solutions

At Axelent, we take pride in our commitment to safety and our ability to provide top-quality machine guarding solutions. With our high-quality products, ability to provide quotes within 24 hours, and ability to deliver projects swiftly, we stand out as the ideal choice for businesses prioritizing worker safety and compliance.

Contact us today to learn how Axelent's X-Guard machine guarding solutions can help you create a safer work environment. If you're ready for more information, read our blog on machine guarding best practices.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should machine guards be inspected?

Machine guards should be inspected before each use, during regular maintenance intervals, and whenever changes are made to the machine or guarding system. The frequency of inspections may vary depending on the type of machinery and the risk level associated with its operation. Employers should consult manufacturer recommendations and industry standards to determine an appropriate inspection schedule.
What should I do if I notice a damaged or missing machine guard?

If you notice a damaged or missing machine guard, immediately report the issue to your supervisor or the designated safety personnel. The machine should be taken out of service until the guard can be repaired or replaced. Under no circumstances should an employee operate a machine with a compromised or missing guard.
Can machine guards be removed for maintenance tasks?

Only authorized personnel should remove machine guards following proper lockout/tagout procedures. Guards should never be removed while the machine is in operation or energized. Once maintenance tasks are completed, the guard must be properly reinstalled and verified before the machine is returned to service.