5-Star Safety and Health
Management System
Machine Guarding
Date: 04/07/2013 Revision: Pages: 6
Element: 2.1 Safety Manual: 1-20 OHSAS: 4.3.1
Purpose
To create standards and uniformity for machine guarding and to ensure that
machinery is guarded
1. Objective
To create standards and uniformity for machine guarding and to ensure that
machinery is guarded and safeguarded in such a way that it provides operators
and other employees protection from machine hazards such as those created by
point of operation, in-running nip points, rotating parts, flying chips and sparks.
2. Introduction
Injuries caused by moving machinery are often serious and of a permanent
nature. These injuries can generally be prevented with the fixing of an effective
machine guard, and by keeping these guards in place, and maintained.
3. Responsibility and Accountability
In line with the single point safety accountabilities, the following applies:
3.1. This Standard forms part of the SEC 5-Star Safety System
3.2. The engineering department (area resident engineer) must ensure
adequate machine guards are specified and fitted according to this
Standard for all new projects, design, modifications and alteration work
3.3. The Purchasing department are to ensure equipment purchased / hired /
replaced conforms to this machine guarding Standard
3.4. Managers / Supervisors / Contractors are accountable for the education
and training of their employees in this Standard.
3.5. Maintenance personnel are responsible for providing adequate machine
guarding and for maintaining these in a good condition.
3.6. All employees are responsible for ensuring all guards are secured in place
before operating equipment or tools.
3.7. Managers, Supervisors, Contractors, Safety Engineers, Safety
Coordinators, and Safety Representatives, (for future reference) are
responsible for monthly inspections of machine guards and for
recommending corrective actions.
3.8. Managers, Contractors and Supervisors, (Responsible Persons) are
responsible for ensuring that corrective actions are taken in providing /
maintaining adequate machine guarding.
3.9. Responsible Persons who are responsible for the supply / installation /
design / specification of new / rented / modified plant, machinery and
equipment are responsible for ensuring that the plant, machinery and
equipment is guarded in line with this Standard.
4. Inspections
4.1. Supervisors shall ensure that monthly inspections are carried out in each
area to inspect the condition of machine guarding. (See attached inspection
checklist.) and they shall:
4.1.1. Raise a work order to correct deviations to ensure appropriate
guarding.
4.1.2. Prioritize the work request by the nature and extent of the risk of the
hazard condition.
4.2. While inspecting, the following aspects must be considered:
4.2.1. Are all machines that cannot be properly guarded, enclosed?
4.2.2. Are all nip points guarded? (areas that could injure, crush, amputate
or otherwise harm persons)
4.2.3. Are all conveyor-rotating parts guarded?
4.2.4. Are all V-drives and chain-drives guarded?
4.2.5. Are all shaft ends and key ways guarded?
4.2.6. Are all rotating or oscillating levers, cams, gears or shafts guarded?
4.2.7. Are guards easily removable and just as easy to put back into
position?
4.2.8. Are guards robust and made of the correct material?
4.2.9. Are moving parts within normal reach enclosed?
4.2.10. Are heated / chilled structures and plant suitably barricaded?
5. Requirements
5.1. General
5.1.1. Guards shall be affixed to the machine where possible and secured
elsewhere if for any reason attachment to the machine is not
possible.
5.1.2. Machine guards shall:
5.1.2.1. Provide maximum protection.
5.1.2.2. Ensure access to danger points is blocked during the
operation of the machine.
5.1.2.3. Not affect the operation of the machine.
5.1.2.4. Not create a pinch point.
5.1.2.5. Provide easy access to the machine for adjustments or
lubrication.
5.1.2.6. Not weaken the structure of the equipment or its
surroundings.
5.1.2.7. Be designed so that they can be easily removed /replaced.
5.2. Construction and Maintenance of Guards
5.2.1. Point of operation guards shall prevent entry of hands or fingers into
the point of operation from reaching through, over, under or around
the guard.
5.2.2. Guards shall be constructed and maintained to:
5.2.2.1. Withstand the vibration, shock, and wear to which they will
be subjected, during normal operations; and
5.2.2.2. Not create a hazard by their use.
5.2.2.3. Guards shall be secured in place while machinery is
operational, except when testing or making adjustments,
which cannot be performed without removal of the guard.
5.2.2.4. Testing or making adjustments while machines are operating
shall only be carried out:
5.2.2.4.1. By a competent person (A person qualified and
authorized by his senior to do this task.)
5.2.2.4.2. By following a Job Safe Practice (JSP) / or work
permit approved by a Supervisor. (SEC 5-Star
Element 5.19)
5.3. Flying or Falling Materials
In areas where flying or falling materials / particles are generated from the
operation: guards, shields, or other devices that provide protection against
such flying or falling materials / particles, shall be provided and/or installed
to protect persons there from.
5.4. Moving Machine Parts
5.4.1. Moving machine parts shall be guarded to protect persons from
contacting gears, sprockets, chains, drives, heads, tails, and take-up
pulleys, flywheels, couplings, shafts, fan blades, and other similar
moving parts that can cause injury.
5.4.2. (Controlled point-of-operation exposures such as the rotating work
piece in a lathe, the cutting face of a milling machine cannot be
guarded due to the nature of the process.)
5.4.3. Guards shall be required where the exposed moving parts are less
than 2 meters above floor or platform / catwalk.
5.5. Overhead Drive Belts
Overhead drive belts shall be guarded to contain the whipping action of a
broken belt if that action could be hazardous to persons.
5.6. Unguarded Conveyors with Adjacent Travel ways / Walkways
Unguarded conveyors next to travel ways / walkways shall be equipped
with:
5.6.1. Emergency stop devices which are located so that a person falling on
or against the conveyor can readily deactivate the conveyor drive
motor; or
5.6.2. Railings which:
5.6.2.1. Are positioned to prevent persons from falling on or against
the conveyor; and
5.6.2.2. Will be able to withstand the vibration, shock, and wear to
which these will be subjected to during normal operation;
and
5.6.2.3. Are constructed and maintained so that they will not create a
hazard.
5.7. Inclined Conveyors: Backstops or Brakes
Backstops or brakes shall be installed on drive units of inclined conveyors
to prevent the conveyors from running in reverse, creating a hazard to
persons.
5.8. Air Valves for Pneumatic Equipment
A manual master quick-close type air valve shall be installed on all
pneumatic-powered equipment, if there is a hazard of uncontrolled
movement when the air supply is activated. The valve shall be kept closed,
except when the equipment is being operated.
5.9. Stationary Grinding Machines
Stationary grinding machines, other than special bit grinders, shall be
equipped with:
5.9.1. Peripheral hoods capable of withstanding the force of a bursting
wheel and enclosing not less than 270 of the peripheral of the wheel.
5.9.2. Adjustable tool rests set so that the distance between the grinding
surface of the wheel and the tool rest is not greater than 3 mm.
5.9.3. A safety washer on each side of the wheel and paper spacer washer.
5.10. Hand-held Power Tools
5.10.1. Power drills, disc sanders, grinders and circular and chain saws,
when used in the hand-held mode shall be operated with controls,
which require constant hand or finger pressure.
5.10.2. Hand-held power tools shall not be equipped with devices, which
lock-on the operating controls.
5.11. Automatic Guards
All automatic guards shall be maintained in an operating condition and shall
not be bypassed for any reason. These include dead-man controls, two-
hand controls, electronic beam sensors, etc.
6. Quality Specifications
All moving and rotating machinery guarding will provide maximum protection
and remain in compliance with this Standard as well as with legislation.
Material Distance From Moving Parts Max. Dimensions of Mesh Opening
Woven Wire 5 cm 6 – 12 mm
Expanded Metal 5 – 10 cm 12 mm
Perforated Plate 10 – 20 cm 50 mm
7. Document Retention
This document needs to be kept in the Safety and Health Management System
(5-Star) files and made available for auditing purposed.
8. Attachment
