What is machine guarding and why is it important?

Machine guarding refers to protective devices and barriers that prevent body parts from entering danger zones of machinery. It is critical to protect workers from injuries such as amputations, crushing, and entrapment.

What are the parts of a machine that typically require guarding?

Guarding is often needed at the point of operation, power transmission apparatus such as belts, gears, chains, and other moving parts like rotating, reciprocating, traversing, cutting, shearing and punching motions.

Which types of mechanical motion must be guarded?

Guarding is required for motions such as rotating, reciprocating, traversing, cutting, punching, shearing, and bending because these motions can trap, cut, or crush body parts.

Can you name common machines that require guards?

Examples include circular saws, power feed planers, drill presses, band saws, lathes, shapers, grinders, jointers, and mechanical power presses.

What should be included in a machine guarding safety talk?

A safety talk should cover terminology (point of operation, power transmission, moving parts), machine-specific risks, inspection of guards, correct operation procedures, and maintenance/repair safe methods.

How often should machine guards be inspected?

Guards should be inspected regularly—daily or before use if possible—and after maintenance or when a guard is removed and replaced, to ensure they remain intact and correctly positioned.

What actions should be taken when a guard is damaged or missing?

Operations must stop until the guard is repaired or replaced. Never run machinery without its intended protection in place; ensure that replacement guards match original design.

Are there compliance standards or regulations for machine guarding?

Yes. OSHA and ANSI standards address machine guarding requirements. Employers must ensure guards meet regulatory requirements and are properly maintained.

How can employees be trained on machine guarding safety?

Workers should be taught the hazards of unguarded machinery, the proper use of guards, inspection methods, and safe work procedures. Safety talks and refresher training should reinforce these practices.

When should a machine guard be replaced or improved?

A guard should be replaced if damaged, worn, or ineffective. Improvements should be considered when new machine modifications occur, performance issues are identified, or standards are updated.

Safety News

Safety Talks – Machine Guarding

08/31/2018

Machine guarding is crucial for protecting workers against preventable injuries such as crushed fingers or hands, amputations, burns, and blindness. Below is a basic overview of some of the more important points related to machine guarding.

Basic Terminology

Parts of the machine requiring guarding

Point of Operation: the area where machine performs work on material
Power Transmission Apparatus: Machine components that transmit energy such as belts, gears, flywheels, chans, pulleys, spindles, couplings and cams.
Other Moving Parts: Reciprocating, rotating, traversing motions, auxiliary machine parts.

Types of mechanical motion that MUST be guarded

Pinch Points: Points at which it is possible to be caught between moving parts, or between moving and stationary parts of a piece of equipment.
Rotating: Circular motion of shafts with a protrusion sticking out can grip clothing or pull body parts into the point of operation.
Reciprocating: Back-and-forth or up-and-down motions that may trap or strike a worker between the moving object and a fixed object.
Traversing: Movement in straight, continuous line that may strike or catch an employee in a pinch or shear point between a moving and fixed object.
Cutting: Action of sawing, boring, drilling, milling, slicing
Punching: The action that results from a machine moving a slide (ram) to stamp a sheet of metal or other material.
Shearing: Movement of a powered slide or knife during metal trimming or paper cutting.
Bending: Action occuring when power is applied to a slide to draw or form metal or other materials.

Common Machines that require guards

Circular waws
Power feed planer
Drill presses
Reciprocating saws
Shaper
Grinding wheels
Band saw
Lathe
Mechanical power press
Jointer
Sander
Mortising machine

Further Discussion

Identify all the machines in your shop that require guarding.
Inspect your machines to ensure the guards are correctly positioned, intact and in place.
Replace any guards that are broken or defective.

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Safety Talks – Machine Guarding

Basic Terminology

Common Machines that require guards

Further Discussion