Urgent Things You Should Be Thinking About For Your Machine Guarding Projects
June 19, 2024
Urgent Things You Should Be Thinking About For Your Machine Guarding Projects
Safety guarding for machines is a priority for every workplace whether you make it one or not. If potential hazards remain undetected, they won’t remain that way for long.
Every workplace is as unique as the many business owners, managers, and supervisors who oversee them. So how do you know what to prioritize in your own environment?
That’s exactly what the machine guarding experts at Stronghold Safety Engineering consider in the article below. We’ve been assessing workplaces — and designing custom solutions for them — for nearly two decades. Let’s look back at what we’ve learned.
Why Every Workplace Must Prioritize Machine Guarding
If you aren’t already, you should be investing in machine safety. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the hazards of operating commercial and industrial equipment are real and quantified.
These injuries occur while operating or maintaining everything from saws and presses to forklifts, and even doors. Did that last one surprise you?
You read it correctly: the doors you use can cause serious injury — or worse — to your operators, colleagues, and visitors. Little surprises like this are why we recommend that you allow a fresh set of eyes to explore your environment.
Be Proactive to Mitigate Machine-Related Injuries
By understanding the risks associated with your specific machines, you can take steps to correct them before an injury occurs. Some common hazards that can be addressed with machine guarding include:
Contact with moving parts
Exposure to sparks and heat
Flying debris
A machine guarding assessment empowers you to be proactive in mitigating machine-related injuries in the workplace. Correcting these hazards before an injury occurs is safer for your employees and your company.
Budgeting for Machine Safety Resources
When budgeting for machine safety, be sure to allocate resources for 3 specific phases:
Assessing your operations
Sourcing your safeguarding solutions
Installing your safeguarding solutions
A professional safety assessment ensures that your inspector has an objective perspective. Even better, they can recommend the best physical and electrical safeguards for your operations.
And just as your customers come to you for your expertise, you should rely on experts to install your machine safeguards as well. This maximizes the effectiveness of your safety solutions.
Which Machine Guarding Systems are Right for You?
Finding the right machine guarding systems for your business relies on 3 distinct perspectives:
Yours
Your operator’s
Your inspector’s
This enables you to get a 360° picture of your operations. You have a bird’s-eye perspective, your operators have a ground-level view, and your professional machine safety assessor provides additional experience and expertise.
Working with Stronghold’s experienced risk reduction consultants will help you get the best results from your machine guarding project. With one investment, you lay the foundation for maximizing your productivity and minimizing your risk.
Emphasize Safety with Machine Safeguarding from Stronghold
At Stronghold Safety Engineering, we’re passionate about workplace safety. We’ve seen nearly every type of workplace you could think of, and our consultants have devised creative solutions for a variety of hazards.
To emphasize safety in your workplace, reach out to our team today.