TABLE OF CONTENTS To be effective, safeguards must provide the desired degree of protection, be acceptable to the operator, not interfere with the manner in which the operator has to operate the machine (the taught method), and not have a detrimental effect on the wage that can be earned, i.e. interfere with the operator s rate of production or working rhythm.
It is important that the user of the guard the machine or plant operator is kept in mind when deciding on the type and design of safeguarding device. If circumstances permit, it can be very fruitful to talk to the operators of the type, or similar types, of machines. They spend all their time on the machine and know a great deal more about operating it than a designer can possibly ever know. The contribution an operator can make in ensuring machine safety should not be underestimated. Very often, the operator will produce the answer on how the machine needs to be guarded. It is then up to the designer to put the operator s ideas and opinions into safeguarding fact.
However, it must be remembered that whether the safeguards are based on physical barriers or on trip or sensing devices, they should be designed and constructed to ensure the desired degree of protection.
In the design of guards and safeguards for machinery consideration needs to be given to some or all of the following factors.
In selecting the type of safeguard to suit the machinery, consideration...
