GENERAL

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

The employer must ensure that the manufacturer’s rated capacity or other limitations on the operations of the equipment are not exceeded and are clearly marked on the equipment where the operator can see them.

The employer must ensure that machinery is regularly inspected for defects and is removed from service until repaired when defects that are hazardous to employees are found. (Occupational Health and Safety Act General Regulations EC180/87, 30.3)

The employer must ensure that all power-operated machinery is carefully inspected as far as possible each day before being operated and is not operated while repair or maintenance work is being done. (Occupational Health and Safety Act General Regulations EC180/87, 31.1)

GUARDING

Requirement

The employer must ensure that all moving parts of machinery and equipment are effectively guarded unless they are constructed or located to prevent a person from coming into contact with them or the guarding would unreasonably interfere with the operation of the machine or equipment. (Occupational Health and Safety Act General Regulations EC180/87, 30.2)

An employer must provide effective safeguards where an employee may come into contact with moving belts, rollers, gears, drive-shafts, pulleys, chains, ropes, drums, counterweights or flywheels on machinery, pinchpoints and cutting edges. This does not apply to machinery that is equipped with an effective device that stops the machine automatically when an employee comes into contact with it or prevents an employee from coming into contact with it.

Where there is the possibility of machine failure that may result in an injury to an employee from flying objects, the employer must provide safeguards strong enough to contain them. (Occupational Health and Safety Act General Regulations EC180/87, 30.9)

Where it has been determined that an effective safeguard cannot be provided, the employer must ensure that an alternative mechanism, system, or change in work procedure is put into place to protect employees. The alternative must be approved by an officer. (Occupational Health and Safety Act General Regulations EC180/87, 30.9)

A person must remove or make ineffective a safeguard unless it is necessary for maintenance or repairs. This does not apply to a removable guardrail or gate. An employee who has removed a safeguard must ensure that the safeguard is replaced before he or she leaves the area and that the safeguard functions properly.

An employee who has removed a safeguard and cannot directly control the machine must lockout and tag the machine. (Occupational Health and Safety Act General Regulations EC180/87, 30.10)

Design

The employer and employee must not alter the design where machines are designed with guards that interlock with machine controls. (Occupational Health and Safety Act General Regulations EC180/87, 30.9)

MACHINE OPERATION

The employer must ensure that sufficient space is provided around machines or processes to ensure the safety of employees while operating, adjusting, or repairing the machine.

Where there is a danger of contact with moving parts of machinery, workers must wear close-fitting clothing, long hair must be confined, and jewelry must not be worn. (Occupational Health and Safety Act General Regulations EC180/87, 30.8)

OPERATING CONTROLS

Operational controls on machinery must be located and protected to prevent unintentional activation. Controls must be suitably identified to indicate the nature of each control.

Where moving machine parts may endanger employees when the machine is started and the operator does not have a clear view of all parts of the machine, an alarm system must be installed. The alarm must give an effective warning before start up of the machine.

Before starting a machine, an employee must ensure that no person is endangered by the start up. While operating a machine, an employee must ensure that no person is endangered by its operation.

The employer must ensure that the operator of a machine has a means of stopping it. Every power-driven machine not driven by an individual motor or prime mover must be equipped with a clutch, idler pulley or other means of quickly disengaging the power sources. (Occupational Health and Safety Act General Regulations EC180/87, 30.4 – 30.5)

LOCKOUT

The employer must ensure that in addition to normal start and stop controls, all electrically driven machinery and equipment has a disconnecting means installed in the power supply. The disconnection must be of a lockable type, be in a location familiar to all, and be properly identified.

The employer must provide a safety lock and key to all equipment operators and maintenance personnel for locking out the power supply to machines. (Occupational Health and Safety Act General Regulations EC180/87, 30.6)

Training

The employer must ensure that employees have been adequately trained in specific lockout procedures. (Occupational Health and Safety Act General Regulations EC180/87, 30.6)

Procedures

The employer must ensure that a machine is not lubricated, cleaned, serviced, or repaired while in motion unless a means is available that does not expose employees to risk of injury.

When a machine is shut down for cleaning, maintenance, or repairs, the employer must ensure that no employee works on the machine until that employee locks out the source of energy, puts the machine in a zero energy state, and attaches a tag.

No employee may work on a machine shut down for cleaning, maintenance, or repairs until he or she has verified that the machine is inoperable. (Occupational Health and Safety Act General Regulations EC180/87, 30.7)

Lock removal

Tags and locks may only be removed by the person who applied them. In an emergency, a competent employee designated by the employer may remove a tag and lock after ensuring that the equipment can be operated safely. (Occupational Health and Safety Act General Regulations EC180/87, 30.7)

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