MACHINE SAFETY

 

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·       GUARDING

Ø    Requirement

Ø    Design

·       MACHINE OPERATION

·       OPERATING CONTROLS

·       LOCKOUT

Ø    Procedure

Ø    Lock removal

Ø    Locks not adequate / appropriate

 

GUARDING

Requirement

Where an employee may come into contact with moving machine parts that may be hazardous to an employee, the employer must provide adequate safeguards to prevent contact. This requirement does not apply to a machine that has a device that automatically stops the machine before an employee comes into contact with the moving part.

 

No person may remove a safeguard or render it ineffective unless the removal is necessary to clean, maintain, adjust or repair the machine. The person must ensure the safeguard is replaced and functioning properly before leaving the machine or that the machine is in the zero energy state. If the machine cannot be directly controlled by the person who removed the safeguard, the person must put the machine in the zero energy state and lock out the machine or follow the code of practice established.

 

Design

No employer may alter the design of a machine where it has been designed with an interlocking guard. Where an employer has determined that that an adequate safeguard cannot be provided, the employer must ensure that a physical modification of the machine is carried out or a change in work procedure is carried out. (General Regulation 91-191, 242 - 243)

 

MACHINE OPERATION

The employer must ensure that a machine is erected, installed, assembled, started, operated, stopped, serviced, cleaned, adjusted, maintained and repaired in accordance with manufacturer’s specifications.

 

The employer must ensure that the manufacturer’s rated capacity or other limitation on the operation of the machine are not exceeded.

 

The operator of a machine must not exceed the manufacturer’s rated capacity or other limitations.

 

The employer must ensure that a machine is regularly inspected for defects and is removed from service until repaired if any are found. (General Regulation 91-191, 235 - 236)

 

OPERATING CONTROLS

The operating controls on a machine must be located and protected to prevent unintentional activation, and identified to indicate the nature of each control.

 

Where there is not a clear view of a machine or parts of it from the control panel or operator’s station and moving parts of the machine may endanger workers when the machine is started, the employer must ensure that the machine is equipped with an alarm system that gives an effective warning before start-up of the machine.

 

The employer must ensure that an emergency stop is within easy reach of the operator of a machine. (General Regulation 91-191, 237)

 

LOCKOUT

In addition to the normal control start and stop mechanism, there must be a means of isolating the energy to a machine that is lockable, in a location familiar to all employees, and properly identified.

 

The employer must provide a safety lock and key to any employee who may have to lock out a machine. (General Regulation 91-191, 239)

 

Procedure

The employer must establish a written lockout procedure for a machine and ensure that any employee who may have to lock out the machine has been adequately trained.

 

No person may clean, maintain, adjust or repair a machine until a competent person puts the machine in a zero energy state. Each person who will be working on the machine must verify that all energy sources have been locked out, lock the machine with the safety lock provided by the employer, and attaches a tag to the lock. The tag must have the employees printed name and signature, the date and time when the tag was put on the machine, and words directing persons not to start the machine.

 

No person may clean, maintain, adjust or repair a machine until the employee verifies that all the requirements for lock out have been met and verifies by testing that the machine is inoperable. (General Regulation 91-191, 239)

 

Lock removal

No person shall remove a lock from a machine except the person who installed it. In an emergency, a competent person may remove another person’s lock after attempts to contact the person indicate that he or she is not available. (General Regulation 91-191, 239)

 

Locks not adequate/appropriate

Where the locking out of a machine is inappropriate, or inadequate for the protection of an employee, the employer must establish a code of practice in consultation with the JHSC. The code must specify personnel responsibilities, personnel training, and details of the procedure for the neutralization, clearance, release, and start up of the machine. The employer must comply with and enforce the code of practice. (General Regulation 91-191, 240)

 

 

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