Machine Shop Safety
Machine shops are an integral part of the an industries. Machine shops can pose a myriad of hazards that must be taken seriously. Many of the most frequently cited safety standards pertain to machine safeguarding, many machinery accidents occur each year in industry, causing over one thousand fatalities. HSE has developed these standard practices for all types of machine shops. In addition, each machine shop has location-specific rules that must be observed by shop users.
It's tough to imagine modern society without machines hard at work all around us. New and improved machinery leads to increased productivity, higher quality, and more affordable production. But misused machines can be as harmful as they are helpful. Machines that cut metal can cut off fingers. Machines that punch through steel can punch through flesh. Such injuries can cause career-ending disabilities as well as severe pain and suffering.
Be alert to these areas when working around or operating machinery:
The point of operation: That is where the work of the machine takes place. It's where the pressing, cutting, punching and boring takes place. It's a place where no part of the body should be. If any part of the body is in the way at the point of operation, the force of the machine can cause a serious injury. The point of operation may also produce sparks or fragments that can fly toward the operator. Safety glasses are important for this type of work.
The power train: That is where energy is transferred through moving parts like gears, shafts, belts, cables, hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders. No body parts should be in these areas either. When working on this type of machinery, always follow the lockout/tagout procedures and replace all guards when repairs are complete. Employees should report any missing guards to their supervisor before operating this equipment.
Workers must control machines carefully. In addition to avoiding the power train and point of operation, employees should always:
- Make sure machines are anchored securely to prevent "walking," tipping, excessive vibration or other movement that could be hazardous.
- Never reach blindly into areas that may contain energized parts.
- Be sure there is enough lighting to clearly see all points of operation.
- Keep conductive items -- watches, rings, steel wool, belt buckles -- away from exposed electrical parts.
- Never plug or unplug electrical equipment with wet hands.
- Follow all lockout/tagout procedures.
- Always wear the proper protective equipment for each job.
Material handling equipment: Power lifts, forklift trucks, etc. are not considered to be production machinery, but their points of operation and power train can be just as hazardous. Employees must be properly trained in the operation of this type of equipment before they are allowed to use it.
Mechanical hazards may come from many different areas and have potential for serious injury.
Beware of the danger zones located within your operation and respect the power of machinery.
• Users must receive department-approved instruction on each piece of equipment prior to using it for the first time.
• Make sure emergency contact numbers are posted and emergency response procedures are in place.
• Never permit operators to wear loose clothing or jewelry. Long hair must be secured up.
• No open-toed shoes or sandals.
• Safety glasses are to be worn at all times while machines & tools are in use.
• No food or drink is permitted in the workshop.
• Cell phones, Mp3 players, and other personal electronic devices must not be used when working at any machine. Loud music is prohibited.
• Ensure aisles and exit paths remain unobstructed at all times. Users are required to clean up all chips, dirt, oil, etc. produced by the use of any piece of equipment.
• All tools must be cleaned and returned to the proper location when finished. No tools are to be removed from shop without authorization.
• Users must not undertake any actions that may injure or distract other users or result in damage to equipment or the work of others. No horseplay allowed in the shop.
• All injuries shall be immediately reported to the shop supervisor.
A combination of guards (rigid barriers) and devices (interlocks, stop buttons) must be used to protect against the hazards of:
• Power transmission devices – belts, gears, chains, etc
• Points of operation - cutting edges
• Moving parts – rotary movement, in-running nip points
• Flying chips/materials
General Machine Safety Rules
• A machine designed for a fixed location must be securely anchored to prevent walking or moving.
• No equipment is to be left running while unattended.
• Any damage to the machines, tools, fixtures, etc. must be reported to a supervisor immediately.
• Machines shall be completely stopped and DE-energized before attempting to clear jammed work or debris.
MACHINE SAFETY- LOCKOUT/TAG OUT - LOTO
If any employees of a company are required to perform hazardous maintenance or repair of machines and equipment, a formal, written Lockout/Tag out Program must be developed and implemented. This program must include machine-specific procedures for shut-down and re-energizing equipment and training for "affected" employees (i.e., those who operate, service or work near the equipment in question).
These procedures must be followed during the servicing or maintenance of machines, to avoid the "unexpected energization or start up of the machinery or equipment, or the release of stored energy, which could cause injury to employees." Procedures will vary, depending upon
- Whether the source of hazardous energy is electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, mechanical, thermal or chemical, and
- How many employees are affected. Nevertheless, all employees should be familiar with lockout/tag out procedures for their company's operations and a review of these should take place periodically.
The following SIX STEPS are a review of basic steps for safely de-energizing equipment. :
1. Notify all "affected employees" that the equipment will be shut down.
2. Shut down the equipment by normal stopping procedures.
3. "Isolate" all the equipment's energy sources.
4. Lock out and/or tag out the energy isolating devices with assigned, individual locks.
5. Release or restrain any stored energy by grounding, blocking, bleeding down, etc.
6. Assure that no personnel are exposed, then test the equipment to assure that it will not operate.
Restoring Equipment to Service:
1. Check to Assure that all employees have been safely positioned or removed from the area.
2. Verify that equipment controls are in neutral.
3. Remove lockout devices and/or tags and re-energize the machine or equipment.
4. Notify affected employees that servicing is complete and the equipment is ready for use.
MACHINE OPERATION REQUIRES SKILL & THOUGHT
Machines don't know what they're doing. A power saw or lathe can injure you without a second "thought." When using power tools or machinery, remember that you are the only one with the brain. Machines turn on and they turn off. Beyond that, it is you, the operator, that controls their safe use. That means you need to apply your training and skills to use machines in a safe manner. You need to be alert and think ahead at all times, because the machine will not think for you. It doesn't know when you or someone else next to you is in danger. A saw or lathe can't tell your finger or wrist from wood or bar stock.
A recent loss makes this example clear. A shipwright was in the process of making rabbit joints on hardwood, using a dado blade. To keep the wood from splintering at the end of the cut, the operator first moved the stock to the back side of the blade, in order to make a small notch. Does anyone out there doubt this was extremely unsafe? Understand, the saw blade was rotating toward the operator, and his hands and wrists were actually beside and behind the saw blade itself. His body was stretched forward. What happened next is predictable. The wood kicked forward abruptly toward the operator, and one of the operator's hands was thrown into the dado blade, resulting in a serious, painful amputation.
This only took a fraction of a second, but the shipwright will spend the rest of his life bearing the handicap of his amputation and deformity. Statistics show that one serious disabling injury will happen every 300 times an unsafe act occurs.
In the course of investigating the accident, the supervisor said he had never seen this employee do this act previously. If he had noted it, he would have cautioned the employee, he said. We can't doubt the supervisor's honesty, however the employee indicated that in this yard, they always had done it that way. One must wonder if the supervisor had ever watched his people's work practices from a safety standpoint. Or did he not check HOW the work was being done, and instead only checked the end result?
Of course, you don't need to wait for a supervisor to analyze your actions for safety. You should do this all the time. Take responsibility for your own safety at work and continually ask the question, "WHAT IF . . ." Who will get injured if things go wrong? Who pays the price if there is an accident? Who endures the pain if something happens? Whose life might be lost if this short-cut doesn't work?
Guard against taking safety short-cuts. Pre-plan the job and set it up properly. Take the time to do your work safely. If unsure how to do the job correctly or safety, ask questions. Don't be afraid to ask for help. And, if you see someone doing something that doesn't meet the "WHAT IF. . ." standard, talk to them about it. Volunteer to help your co-workers, whenever they need it.
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