Mechanical Hazards Part 2 - University College Dublin · Mechanical Hazards Part 2 Mechanical Hazards: Practical risk reduction measures Mechanical Hazards Learning Outcomes Describe

1

Mechanical Hazards – Part 2 Peter Coulahan

Mechanical Hazards – Part 2

Peter Coulahan University College Dublin Safety Officer

Module OSH10010!

Part 1 Mechanical Hazards

Part 2 Mechanical Hazards: Practical risk reduction measures

Mechanical Hazards

Part 2 1.  Legislative requirements

2.  Machinery guarding

3.  Safety devices

4.  Administrative controls

Legislative Requirements

General guidance on

equipment safety can be

obtained from the HSA’s

guide to the 2007

General Applications

Regulations.

Legislative Requirements   Every machine must be designed to work as

safely as possible and be fit for the purpose for which it is being used.

  Steps must be taken to minimise any risks associated with work equipment.

  The use of hazardous equipment must be limited to trained persons.

Legislative Requirements   Dangerous parts must be guarded

appropriately.

  Equipment must be labeled appropriately.

  Employees must be made aware of the risks

associated with work equipment.

2


Legislative Requirements   Work equipment must be inspected and

maintained appropriately with records of same

maintained.

  Equipment must have a clearly identifiable way

of disconnecting it from its energy source.

Legislative Requirements   Equipment must have clearly labeled control

devices located in a safe place.

  It should only be possible to start a machine by

a deliberate action.

  If required emergency stops should be fitted.

Machinery Guarding   A guard is the simplest way of protecting you

from the moving parts of a machine.

  A guard forms a physical barrier between the

dangerous parts of a machine and a person.

Machinery Guarding To function effectively guards must:

•  prevent contact with hazardous parts •  be securely held in place and be difficult to remove or

tamper with •  be strong enough to resist forcing and to contain any

ejected materials •  allow for adequate visibility if required •  not reduce the performance or reliability of the

machine •  provide protection against non mechanical hazards

where necessary

Machinery Guarding Fixed Guards

  Use whenever

possible

  Are a permanent part

of a machine


  Should only be

removable using tools

and not by hand

  Should not stay in

place when fixings are

removed

3



Meshed guards should

not allow fingers into

danger zones

Machinery Guarding Distance Guards

Barriers designed

to prevent persons

coming into contact with

dangerous parts of a

machine.

Machinery Guarding Distance Guards

Considerable care must

be taken in their design

as they can be easily

bypassed.

Machinery Guarding Tunnel Guards

A type of distance

guard where a tunnel

is used to isolate

dangerous parts of a

machine.

Machinery Guarding Automatic Guards

The guard is mechanically

connected to the operation

of the machine and isolates

the dangerous parts of the

machine at the relevant

part of the cycle.

Machinery Guarding Adjustable Guards

The position of these

guards is manually

adjusted according to the

operation in progress.

4


Machinery Guarding Adjustable Guards

For these to work

effectively the operator

of the machine must

have training in its safe

use and must be

competent.

Machinery Guarding Self Acting Guards

With this type of guard

the guard is automatically

opened or closed by the

operation to protect

the user.

Safety Devices Trip Devices

Automatically cut the

power to a machine

when they are

activated.

Safety Devices Trip Devices

Can be photo-electric

sensors, trip wires,

pressure mats, infra red

detectors, etc.

Safety Devices Two Handed Control Devices

These devices force a

machine operator to use

two hands to operate the

machine controls thus

removing their hands

from danger zones.

These physically hold

the operator’s hands in

a ‘safe position’.

Safety Devices Restraint Devices

5


Safety Devices Restraint Devices

An interlock prevents a machine from operating

when a guard is open, and can either stop the

machine when the guard is opened during

machine operation or prevent the opening of a

guard during machine operation.

Safety Devices Interlocks

Microwave ovens have interlocks fitted to their

doors; when the door is open the oven will not

start and when the door is opened during

operation the oven switches off.


  It is vital that interlocks fail to safe.

  This means that if the interlock stops

working properly, or becomes defective,

that the machine stops working immediately,

rather than continuing to operate with a

defective interlock.



Administrative Controls Risk Assessment

The operation of all machines should be

subjected to a risk assessment in order to list the

hazards associated with that machine and to

identify measures to reduce the risks from those

hazards.

6



Consider the following: - do any parts look dangerous, e.g. exposed gear wheels? - are there guards in place? - can the machine operate with the guards removed? - are the controls labeled and easy to understand?


– is an emergency stop device present / needed? – is the power supply to the machine clearly marked? – does the machine give off any fumes or dusts? – is the machine noisy or does it vibrate excessively?


– are any exposed parts likely to get very hot or cold?

– are there any exposed live electrical parts or is it easy to access any live components?

– are the manufacturer’s instructions available for consultation and in a language easily understood by operators / supervisors?


– does the machine have a CE mark and does it

comply with any relevant EU standards?

Administrative Controls Safe Person

At a minimum every machinery operator must know how to:

– safely start, operate and stop a machine – how to deal with foreseeable emergencies / malfunctions – be able to identify equipment hazards – be reliable – be a ‘safe person’

Administrative Controls Safe System Of Work

Planned Preventative Maintenance Permit To Work Systems Appropriate training and supervision

7


Part 1 Mechanical Hazards

Part 2 Mechanical Hazards: Practical risk reduction measures

Mechanical Hazards Learning Outcomes   Describe the different types of hazards and

risks associated with machines

  Explain, and provide the rationale for, the methods used to reduce the risk of injury in the use of machines

  Be able to identify common hazards associated with machines

  Assess whether suitable safety devices are fitted and are operating safely

Documents

Mechanical Hazards Part 2 - University College Dublin · Mechanical Hazards Part 2 Mechanical Hazards: Practical risk reduction measures Mechanical Hazards Learning Outcomes Describe