Machine safety at work requires constant attention. In our industrial age, there are many moving parts and sharp edges. Listen for tips on machine safety.
In this podcast, we review nine rules to keep workers safe around machines.
Important issues covered include lockout/tagout, loose clothing; flame resistant clothing, PPE, and more.
In the battle of human vs. machine, machines usually win—unless you are careful. Employ good machine safety.
TRANSCRIPT:
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intro music and effects
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Dan Clark: Machine safety at work is always guaranteed. Nothing ever goes wrong with machines… until you push the “ON” button!
Hello, I’m Dan Clark of The Safety Brief. This is where we talk about health and safety hazards in today’s demanding industrial and construction worksites.
Machines are everywhere at work. Conveyor belts, hydraulic presses, automated tools, large and small. They pose many hazards, so let’s look at some machine safety rules for work.
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1. Avoid sharp or moving parts. Use common sense. Don’t get caught in the machine. Workplaces should have guards around moving parts. Some employers put in optical sensing which stops a machine if fingers get close.
2. Use lockout/tagout. Don’t put your hands and arms into a machine until you know it won’t accidentally be turned on.
3. Communicate with everyone in the work area. If you’re doing something out of the ordinary, like doing maintenance or cleaning, tell your coworkers.
(1:05)
4. Avoid wearing loose clothing. Unzipped jackets, drawstrings, baggy T-shirts, and even loose shoelaces can all get drawn into machines.
5. Wear PPE. Don’t take shortcuts. Put on what the task requires, whether it’s safety goggles, ear plugs, gloves or whatever.
6. Be careful around heat sources. Some machines have open flames, others just get hot during operation. Use caution and wear flame resistant (FR) clothing, if required.
(1:38)
7. Pay attention to wires and cords. That’s a tripping hazard there, and it could shock you. If a cord must cross a walking path, see if the safety manager or supervisor if they can mark it with hazard tape.
8. Take precautions when cleaning. Use lockout / tagout when cleaning a machine. Wear PPE when using cleaning chemicals. And be careful with combustible dust. It can explode if too much has accumulated.
9. Obey visual and written instructions. Machines will likely have signs and labels to provide instructions and hazard information.
(2:12)
That’s all for this episode on Machine Safety At Work. Come back for more tips and techniques on how to stay safety compliant in today’s ever-changing landscape of safety requirements. I’m Dan Clark of The Safety Brief, sponsored by Creative Safety Supply. See the website at creativesafetysupply.com
(2:34)
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See OSHA’s info on Lockout/Tagout and Hazardous Energy Sources.
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