MSHA'S Guide To Equipment Guarding
MSHA'S Guide To Equipment Guarding
Equipment Guarding
This presentation contains examples of commonly used equipment guards. Alternative designs are acceptable provided the requirements of the guarding standards are met. MSHA recognizes that there may be site specific complex situations which require unique guard design and installation.
MSHA Requirements
Moving machine parts must be guarded to protect persons from contacting gears, sprockets, chains, drive, head, tail and takeup pulleys, flywheels, couplings, shafts, fan blades, saw blades, and similar moving parts that can cause injury.
MSHA Requirements
Overhead drive belts must be guarded where the whipping action of a broken belt could be hazardous to persons.
MSHA Requirements
Unguarded conveyors next to travelways must be equipped with emergency stop devices to readily deactivate the drive motor.
Designing Guards
Consider all possible contingencies , including acts of thoughtlessness and foolhardiness. The opinions of the operator of the machine, the supervisors, and maintenance personnel could enhance design and construction. Guards cannot be removed unless the hazards they guard against have been eliminated.
Effective Characteristics
Considered a permanent part of the machine or equipment. Installed as close to the machine part as feasibly possible. Prevent access to all moving machine parts. Designed for the specific job and specific machine.
Effective Characteristics
Designed and fabricated to the extent practical to such dimensions and weights that one person is able to physically install and remove the individual guard components. Constructed and maintained to withstand vibration and shock during normal operation. Not present a hazard in itself.
Equipment Guarding
Materials for guards should be carefully selected. For most installations, guards constructed of metal framing with sheet metal, perforated metal, expanded metal, or heavy wire mesh are more satisfactory than those of other materials.
Methods of Guarding
The selection of a guarding method may depend upon a number of factors such as: space limitations, production methods, and frequency of use.
Methods of Guarding
Moving machine parts must be guarded rather than restricting access to the area by installing railings, chains, cable, or gates.
Area Guards
An area guard is any guard which covers more than one independently controlled component, or is large enough to permit a person to place themselves between the moving machine parts and the guard.
Gates, doors, or barriers constructed across openings into areas that contain multiple tail pulleys, drive belts, drive pulleys, and other moving machine parts. Fencing constructed around areas that contain more than one independently controlled pulley, shaft, or drive belt.
A guard that can be entered by persons enabling them to get between the inner perimeter of the guard and the moving machine parts. Historically, if space is provided between a guard and a hazard, someone will eventually go there and be exposed to the hazard.
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