Many industries rely on machinery to do much of the work necessary to manufacture or manipulate a product. Because most machinery is capable of changing the shape or size of a material, it is also capable of doing the same to parts of the human body. According to OSHA, any machine part, function, or process that may cause injury must be safeguarded. When the operation of a machine or accidental contact with it can injure the operator or others in the vicinity, one or more methods of machine guarding must 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, and flying chips and sparks. Examples of guarding methods are barrier guards, two-hand tripping devices, and electronic safety devices.
OSHA rules. OSHA machine guarding rules for general industry (29 CFR 1910, Subpart O) address the safety requirements for the following types of machines:
OSHA has also adopted guarding rules for other types of machines and equipment, including:
See the Eye and Face Protection and Lockout/Tagout analysis sections for more information about personal protective ...
State Requirements
Alabama | Alaska | Arizona | Arkansas | California | Colorado | Connecticut | Delaware | Florida | Georgia | Hawaii | Idaho | Illinois | Indiana | Iowa | Kansas | Kentucky | Louisiana | Maine | Maryland | Massachusetts | Michigan | Minnesota | Mississippi | Missouri | Montana | National | Nebraska | Nevada | New Hampshire | New Jersey | New Mexico | New York | North Carolina | North Dakota | Ohio | Oklahoma | Oregon | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | South Carolina | South Dakota | Tennessee | Texas | Utah | Vermont | Virginia | Washington | West Virginia | Wisconsin | Wyoming |Machine Guarding Resources
Type | Title |
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Checklists | Machine Guarding Training Checklist for Employers |
Forms | Inventory of Machine Safeguards |
Handouts | Safe Use of Abrasive Wheel Grinders [7-Minute Safety Trainer] -- Spanish |
Policies | Sample machinery and machine guarding policy |
Posters | Ignoring Machine Guards Can Leave You Flat (PDF) |
PowerPoints | Machine Guarding |
White Papers | Watch Your Fingers--And Other Important Warnings for Press Operators |