2/16/20111MechanicalHazardsandMachineGuardsMechanicalhazardsarethoseassociatedwithpower-drivenmachines,whetherautomatedormanuallyoperated.ConcernsaboutsuchhazardsdatebacktotheConcernsaboutsuchhazardsdatebacktotheIndustrialRevolutionandtheearliestdaysofmechanization.•Failuretoprovidepropermachineguardsandenforcetheirusecanbecostlyforcompanies–Mechanicalhazardsthatarenotproperlyguardedareimplicatedinthousandsofworkplaceinjurieseveryyear.–Smallgainsinproductivityobtainedbywillfullybypassingmechanicalsafeguardsonmachinescancostcompanieshugefines&medicalbills.2/16/20112COMMONMECHANICALINJURIESInindustrialsettings,peopleinteractwithmachinesdesignedtodrill,cut,shear,hhitltithpunch,chip,staple,stitch,abrade,shape,stamp,andslit.Ifworkersfailtofollowsafetyprecautions,theseprocedurescanhappentohumans,insteadofworkpieces.Strains/Sprains,Cuts,ShearingInjuriesAstrainresultswhenmusclesareoverstretchedortorn,asprainresultsfromtornligamentsinajoint.StrainsandsprainscancauseswellingandintensepainStrainsandsprainscancauseswellingandintensepain.Acutoccurswhenabodypartcomesincontactwithasharpedge.Seriousnessofcuttingortearingdependsondamagedonetoskin,veins,arteries,muscles,andevenbones.Power-drivenshearsforseveringpaper,metal,plastic,l&iidldelastomers&compositesarewidelyused.Suchmachinesoftenamputatedfingers&handswhenoperatorsreachedundertheshearingblade,andactivatedthebladebeforefullyremovingtheirhand.2/16/20113CrushingInjuriesCrushinginjuriesoccurwhenapartofthebodyiscaughtbetweenhardsurfacesthatprogressivelymovetogether—crushinganythingbetweenthem.•Twocategories:squeeze-pointtypes&run-inpoints.–Squeeze-pointhazardsexistwhentwohardsurfaces,atleastoneofthemmoving,pushcloseenoughtogethertocrushobjectsbetweenthem.–Run-inpointhazardsexistwheretwoobjects,atleastoneofwhichisrotating,comeprogressivelyg,pgyclosertogether.•Bodypartscanalsobecrushedinotherways.–Aheavyobjectfallingonafoot;Ahammerhittingafinger.CrushingInjuriesMeshinggearsandbeltpulleysareexamplesofrun-inpointhazards.2/16/20114BreakingMachinesusedtodeformengineeringmaterialsinavarietyofwayscanalsofracture—break—bones.Asimplefractureisabreakthatdoesnotpiercetheskin.AdftibkththbkthhAcompoundfractureisabreakthathasbrokenthroughthesurroundingtissueandskin.Acompletefracturedividestheaffectedboneintotwoormoreseparatepieces.Anincompletefractureleavestheaffectedboneinonepiecebutcracked.AtftibktihtthbAtransversefractureisabreakstraightacrossthebone.Anobliquefractureisdiagonal.Acomminutedfractureexistswhentheboneisbrokenintoanumberofsmallpiecesatthepointoffracture.PuncturingPuncturingresultswhenanobjectpenetratesstraightintothebodyandpullsstraightout.CreatingawoundintheshapeofthepenetratingobjectCreatingawoundintheshapeofthepenetratingobject.•Thegreatesthazardispotentialfordamagetointernalorgans.2/16/20115SAFEGUARDINGDEFINEDTheNationalSafetyCouncil(NSC)definessafeguardingas…MachinesafeguardingistominimizetheriskofMachinesafeguardingistominimizetheriskofaccidentsofmachine-operatorcontact.Safeguardscanbebroadlycategorizedaspoint-of-operationguards,point-of-operationdevices,andfeeding/ejectionmethods.OSHAREQUIREMENTSFORMACHINEGUARDINGOSHArequirementsoverview—29CFR1910.212.Typesofguarding-Oneormoremethodsofmachineguardingmustbeprovidedtoprotectpeoplefromsuchpointofoperationhazards.Generalrequirements-Wherepossible,guardsshouldbeaffixe...
