6.4. Requirements for Machine Guards

Machine guards must meet these minimum general requirements (per OSHA) which are also required by Rule 1200 of the OSHS:

– Prevent contact. Machine guards must prevent hands, arms and any other part of a worker’s body from making contact with dangerous moving parts.
– Secure. Workers should not be able to easily remove or tamper the safeguard. They must be firmly secured to the machine.
– Protect from falling objects. A machine guard should ensure that no objects can fall into moving parts. A small tool which is dropped into a cycling machine could easily become a projectile that could strike and injure someone.
– Create no new hazards. A safeguard should not create a hazard of its own. The edges of guards, for example, should be rolled or bolted in such a way that they eliminate sharp edges to prevent laceration.
– Create no interference. Machine guards should not impede a worker from performing the job quickly and comfortably.
– Allow safe lubrication. Machine design should allow lubrication without removing the safeguards. Example: an oil reservoir outside the guard with a line leading to the lubrication point.