In response to the obvious risks associated with worksite machinery, OSHA created Standard 1910.212. This standard regulates what types of machine guarding are required for the many types of machines in use today. Any guards used should not, in themselves, be hazardous.

The types of hazards which must be guarded against are: “those created by point of operation, ingoing nip points, rotating parts, flying chips and sparks,” among others. So what you need to keep in mind when ensuring you have effective guards in place, is that the regulation covers a lot of territory.

Any machine guarding used in your facility should be attached to the machine, when at all possible. This ensures the best protection for employees. When it is impossible to affix the guarding to the machine, then it is to be secured elsewhere.

The most common machines which require point of operation guarding are as follows: guillotine cutters, shears, alligator shears, power presses, milling machines, power saws, and jointers. If your facility uses any of these devices and you do not have a specific plan in place for their guarding, consider hiring a professional consulting firm to help you. The first step to consider is a full third party audit to ensure there are no other potential issues with your safety plan.

If you have any questions about machine guards, and when you need them, please contact us so that we can help. If you have anything to add about the importance of utilizing machine guards, please leave a comment.

Unsafe machinery is one of the most serious potential hazards for employees. injuries caused by faulty machinery or machinery used improperly can be critical or even fatal. This is why OSHA instituted Standard 1910.212. This standard outlines the safety requirements for machine guarding, giving you a series of steps to take to ensure your machinery is safe.

First, you need to determine which of your machines require guarding. This is any machine which presents a potential hazard. These hazards can include: point of operation, ingoing nip points, rotating parts, flying chips, or sparks. If you have any machines with these or other hazards, you need to ensure you have adequate guarding in place.

Should you have any of these hazards, you need to ensure you have the correct machine guarding in place. OSHA sets some basic guidelines for what type of guarding is required for various potential hazards. For instance, “Revolving drums, barrels, and containers shall be guarded by an enclosure which is interlocked with the drive mechanism, so that the barrel, drum, or container cannot revolve unless the guard enclosure is in place.” (1910.212 (a)(4)) Further, you need to ensure that any machine guards are affixed to the  machine if possible. If not possible, the guard must be secured elsewhere, but in such a way that the guard does not create an additional hazard.

It is important to also put in place accurate signage explaining how to safely use your machinery. To ensure your signage and machine guarding are up to code and to ensure maximum efficacy, it is important to have annual third party safety audits, so that trained professionals can look over your facility. If you have any questions about machine guarding, safety signs, or third party safety audits, please contact us. If you have anything to add about machine guarding, please leave a comment.

OSHA standard 1910.212 discusses machinery and machine guarding. In this standard, OSHA lays out the requirement for the guards which must be in place to protect employees from potential harm due to unsafe machinery. OSHA lays out how to affix said guards to the machine, and how to act if a guard can not be affixed to the machine directly. Finally, OSHA lists specific types of machines which are likely to need guarding, and examples of how to guard several of them.

“One or more methods of machine guarding shall be provided to protect the operator and other employees in the machine area from hazards such as those created by point of operation, ingoing nip points, rotating parts, flying chips and sparks.” (1910.212 (a)(1)) This is OSHA specifically laying out exactly what kinds of dangers must be guarded against, and where they must be protected. So, if your company uses any machines like these, it is imperative that you properly guard them.

“Guards shall be affixed to the machine where possible and secured elsewhere if for any reason attachment to the machine is not possible.” (1910.212(a)(2)) This is OSHA being very specific about how to implement your machine guards. If there is any conceivable way to attach the guards directly to the machine, then do it. And if you are unsure, then have a professional take a look, to make sure that you are in compliance.

OSHA then goes on to specifically list several machine risks and what, specifically, needs to be done to ensure their safety. If you have not recently had a third party safety audit, it might be time to consider one. An auditor will be able to see if you are up to code on your guards. You will also need to have proper signage around dangerous machines. If you have not already implemented your signage, check out our extensive collection of signs, to find one that fits your needs. If you have any questions about your machine guards, please contact us or leave a comment.