OSHA standard 1910.212 discusses machinery and machine guarding. In this standard, OSHA lays out the requirement for the guards which must be in place to protect employees from potential harm due to unsafe machinery. OSHA lays out how to affix said guards to the machine, and how to act if a guard can not be affixed to the machine directly. Finally, OSHA lists specific types of machines which are likely to need guarding, and examples of how to guard several of them.

“One or more methods of machine guarding shall be provided to protect the operator and other employees in the machine area from hazards such as those created by point of operation, ingoing nip points, rotating parts, flying chips and sparks.” (1910.212 (a)(1)) This is OSHA specifically laying out exactly what kinds of dangers must be guarded against, and where they must be protected. So, if your company uses any machines like these, it is imperative that you properly guard them.

“Guards shall be affixed to the machine where possible and secured elsewhere if for any reason attachment to the machine is not possible.” (1910.212(a)(2)) This is OSHA being very specific about how to implement your machine guards. If there is any conceivable way to attach the guards directly to the machine, then do it. And if you are unsure, then have a professional take a look, to make sure that you are in compliance.

OSHA then goes on to specifically list several machine risks and what, specifically, needs to be done to ensure their safety. If you have not recently had a third party safety audit, it might be time to consider one. An auditor will be able to see if you are up to code on your guards. You will also need to have proper signage around dangerous machines. If you have not already implemented your signage, check out our extensive collection of signs, to find one that fits your needs. If you have any questions about your machine guards, please contact us or leave a comment.