Machines have revolutionized the way that the manufacturing industry works. While machinery can reduce the amount of time required to manufacture certain items, these same machines can pose a serious threat to worker safety.

Employers have an obligation to protect workers against injury by safeguarding any machinery used within their facility. An effective safeguard will meet the following criteria to maximize both safety and efficiency.

Prevent Employee Contact

A quality safeguard will help to prevent direct contact between the employee and the machine when the machine is in use. A physical barrier can provide this type of protection,and so can an automatic stop sensor, which will turn the machine off if an employee gets too close.

Maintaining total separation between employees and machinery during operation will help reduce the likelihood that an injury will occur.

Tamper-Proof

Other important criteria for a machine safety control is that it be tamper-proof. Employees may be tempted to override security protocols in order to save time. If the safeguard in place can be tampered with or removed completely, employees will put themselves at risk of injury.

All safeguarding devices must be tamper-proof in order to fulfill their prescribed mission and improve workplace safety in the future.

Allows for Maintenance

Machines that are functioning properly contribute to the safety of any manufacturing facility. To keep machinery working properly, routine maintenance must be performed. The safeguarding device that is used on a machine must allow for easy access to the mechanical components of the machine.

This easy access will facilitate the repair process and ensure that a machine can be serviced and lubricated on a regular schedule. If the safeguarding device restricts access, vital maintenance tasks can get overlooked and put the safety of the machine as a whole at risk.

Doesn't Create Additional Hazards

The design of the safeguarding device installed on each piece of industrial machinery must be efficient. Some devices can pose a safety hazard when paired with the wrong machine.

Careful monitoring of the interaction between employees and the safeguarding device is needed to ensure that the device can be used without creating any additional safety hazards. If the device gets in the way, limits mobility, or causes an employee to trip, a different device should be installed for maximum safety.

Industrial machinery needs to be safeguarded to protect employees against injury. Be sure that your safeguarding devices meet the criteria outlined above to improve the machine control safety of your facility in the future.