machine safety

How to revamp training for heavy equipment operators

November 5, 2020

Heavy equipment is an integral part of many industries, but safe operation of this massive machinery requires comprehensive and consistent safety training. How can managers and supervisors strengthen their training programs to ensure operators and employees have the resources they need to stay safe on the job?

Shield against debris

LED lighting, design modularity heighten operator protection

Matt Brenner

October 28, 2020

In this article, we look at one of the most basic and most critical components in machine safeguarding: the safety shield.

Machine safeguarding misconceptions

How to keep workers out of harm’s way

Dan Markiewicz, MS, CIH, CSP, CHMM

January 1, 2020

This article highlights six key misconceptions about machine safeguarding. ANSI / ISO 12100:2012 Safety of machinery – General principles for design – Risk assessment and risk reduction is the primary reference.

2020 Top Standards: OSHA most frequently violated standards

Machine Guarding (1910.212)

January 1, 2020

Machine Guarding (1910.212) was the ninth most-frequently cited agency standard in FY 2019. Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing was the most-cited industry for violations of 1910.212 in FY 2019, with 423 citations, 371 inspections and $2,409,690 in proposed penalties.

Confined space incident costs worker both legs

March 13, 2018

One momentary decision in a hazardous workplace forever changed the lives of a worker who suffered grievous injuries and the co-worker whose actions inadvertently led to that injury. It also led to more than a quarter million dollars in fines against the company that employed them.

Rockford Systems announces live webinar to help plant managers better understand safeguarding standards

Free "Machine Safety Compliance 101" webinar is scheduled for Thursday, April 6, 2017

March 8, 2017

Rockford Systems, LLC., a premier provider of machine safeguarding products and services, today announced details for the next webinar in its online educational series: Machine Safety Compliance 101. This free, interactive webinar takes an in-depth look at the major challenges facing managers today as they strive to better understand OSHA, ANSI and NFPA standards as they apply to metal working machinery, along with the steps involved in assessing and safeguarding potentially hazardous machinery to full compliance.

Machine guarding lack causes worker’s death

September 8, 2016

As he hand-polished a 40-inch long metal cylinder, a 36-year-old lathe operator became entangled in the machine's operating spindle and suffered injuries that led to his death two days later.

Don’t let your Lockout/Tagout training lapse

Testing & reevaluating your program is essential

Eric Prinzing

June 1, 2016

The purpose of this article is to provide a brief overview of Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) training, and to provide tips to make this training effective and efficient.

23-year-old worker loses part of finger in machine

Painesville, Ohio-based Dyson Corp. failed to use machine safety procedures

August 25, 2015

A 23-year-old machine operator making nuts and bolts suffered a partial amputation of his right middle finger when it was caught in a machine at a Painesville manufacturer. He had only three weeks' experience with the equipment when the injury occurred.

Engineering alternatives to lockout-tagout

Designs must ensure equal protection

Jimi Michalscheck

June 1, 2015

We still don’t have the settings right and we need to get this filling machine running yesterday.” The lead technician yells out as if someone was there listening, but he’s working alone. Steven, a line mechanic with more than 25 years’ experience has seen this problem before, but this time it’s more difficult to identify the root cause and fix.