Stop Time Measurement is now available from Lovegreen Machine Safety!

Current OSHA regulations and ANSI standards requires that a machine's stop time be measured to determine how long it takes a machine to stop after a stop signal is given.

Most accidents occur as a result of a reflex action or simply not paying attention to one''s surroundings. Often a machine operator will instinctively reach for something when there is a problem. Or they will be focused on a task and enter a hazardous area without thinking about it. Tripping towards a hazard is another common occurrence. In these situations, it is necessary that the machine''s safety devices stop the machine before the hazard is reached.

Stop-time measurement readings taken on individual machines are used to determine the minimum safety distance required for placement of the machine''s operating controls or safeguarding devices used during production. This is critical when using presence sensing devices like light curtains, pressure mats, laser scanners, etc.

Location of a safety component, whether hard guarding or electronic, is based upon the machine''s stopping time. Simply stated, a safety component should be placed far enough away from the risk area that it is not possible to reach the hazard before the machine has stopped. Safety devices are then installed using the minimum safe distance.

Stop time measurement should be performed on an annual basis in order to insure that the machine stop time has not changed. Machine maintenance, brake wear, machine alterations and other factors can extend the machine''s stopping time. If the machine stops slower than it once did, then the current safety components will need to be adjusted to continue providing the correct level of safety. For these and other reasons it is important to perform an annual stop time analysis.

Not sure how to get started?
Lovegreen can provide stop-time measurement readings for various types of industrial machines, including mechanical and hydraulic power presses, press brakes and on machines that utilize rotational movement like conveyors, indexing tables, and production line drive shafts. Experienced Lovegreen personnel conduct the inspections using a stop-time measurement device to take the stop-time readings. Lovegreen uses the same stop time analysis Saftimeter as OSHA to assure consistent results.

Inspections include details on each machine as to its compliance to current safety regulations (OSHA) and current safety standards (ANSI). Stop-time measurement readings taken on individual machines are used to help determine the minimum safety distance required for placement of the machine’s operating controls or safeguarding devices used during production operations, such as safety blocks and die blocks.

Please call us at 1.800.262.8284 or e-mail us for more information or to set up a visit to your facility.

Lovegreen Machine Safety provides machine guarding, risk assessment and safety training to help protect your business, institution or school.

http://www.lovegreen.com/

Stop Time Analysis - More Info

What is MSDS ?

MSDS or a Material Safety Data Sheet is the documentation of all the information on the potential hazards imposed by a chemical product or substance whenever they are used by people. The dangers primarily include fire hazards, effects of radioactivity, environmental hazards and other possible harm to the health of a human being. Not just the information about the potential dangers, an MSDS is supposed to contain information regarding the proper handling of the chemical substances or product to avoid the hazards and also information on steps that need to be taken in case of the occurrence of any of the hazards.

Who needs the MSDS ? The MSDS is a document that can be allowed to access by everyone. However, an ordinary consumer doesn’t have a direct interaction with a chemical substance and thus, needn’t necessarily have a deeper understanding of the MSDS (a knowledge about the hazards of these substances isn’t bad though). Workers or employees who have come in contact with these chemical substances on a day-to-day basis needs to have a thorough understanding of the MSDS and must always carry a copy of it along too. Such employees include the ones working in any chemical manufacturing factory, cleaning industry, recycling industry and so on.

How to find an MSDS ? An MSDS should be available in every workplace pertaining to chemical industry or an industry whose employees work involves a close contact with chemical substances and products. In case of non-availability of Material Safety Data Sheets in the workplace, the supplier of the material or substance should be contacted and asked to provide a MSDS.

It’s crucial to train the employees as to how to use the MSDS. Mere distribution of MSDS won’t assure safety. Thus, an effective and informative training session is necessary.

Article by Anirban Bhattacharya

For more information about this important topic, please visit Lovegreen Machine Guarding

Protect Yourself From Amputations

Amputations are widespread and involve a variety of activities and equipment. Each year, thousands of employees lose fingers, hands, feet, and other body parts–mostly through compression, crushing, or by getting them caught between or struck by objects. Most amputations involve fingertips.

High-Risk Activities

Amputations occur most often when employees operate unguarded or inadequately safegarded:

• Mechanical power presses
• Power press brakes
• Powered and non-powered conveyors
• Printing presses
• Roll-forming and roll-bending machines
• Food slicers
• Meat grinders
• Band saws
• Drill presses
• Milling machines
• Shears, grinders, and slitters
• Table and portable saws
  

Recognize and avoid amputation hazards through guarding, safe work practices, employee training, administrative controls and operating in a safe manner. The best way to prevent amputations caused by stationary or portable machinery is with machine safeguarding.

Guards provide physical barriers to hazardous areas. They should be secure and strong, and employees should not be able to bypass, remove, or tamper with them. Guards should not obstruct the operator’s view or prevent employees from working.

Devices help prevent contact with points of operation and may replace or supplement guards. Devices can interrupt the normal cycle of the machine when the operator’s hands are at the point of operation.

Have more questions? Please call us at 1-800-262-8284 or email us today and let us help you.

For more complete information:
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
U.S. Department of Labor
www.osha.gov (800) 321-OSHA

This article is from the OSHA website. The full article appears at http://www.osha.gov/Publications/amputations-qc.html

Are Your Machines Safe or Unsafe?

The answer is usually somewhere in between. By their nature, machines can be dangerous even when used in a proper manner. Many manufacturers continue to build and sell their tools without the necessary safeguards and electrical controls required by OSHA and various safety regulations. Our experience shows that improper guarding can slow down production and create a safety hazard.

This article is a basic introduction to machine safeguarding. The reader can download a free, simple survey that will allow them to check for common machine guarding violations including improper point of operation protection and incorrect motor controls.

Do you know what an accident can cost you?
A single accident can mess up your finances for years. Money set aside for a new car or vacation is spent on doctor bills. You may be off work for months or unable to return at all. You will spend your free time battling your insurance company to get a fair settlement. If the accident happens at work, a legal judgment against an employer can easily bankrupt an otherwise healthy company.

Why Install Machine Guards?
Simply stated, so you do not get hurt or hurt anyone around you. Machine use can be dangerous, even when you are careful. Unfortunately, not every machine will perform the intended function without posing an injury hazard to the operator. By installing machine guards at work, an employer can save money by reducing insurance rates, increasing productivity and protecting employees.

Machine manufacturers are not required to provide motor controllers and safeguarding equipment that meets OSHA standards. OSHA requires that you the employer make sure all of the machines in the workplace comply with relevant regulations.

Where Do Hazards Occur?
Most machine hazards occur in three main places. The point of operation, (where a blade cuts a piece of wood), power transmission, (belt and pulleys) and power controllers. Just download the free machine survey and find out quickly.

Following the survey will help you uncover the most common safety problems with woodworking and metal working machines. For example, if you have a drill press, the page on drill presses lists the most common areas that need
attention. Answer each question either yes or no to determine if safeguarding is required.

What do I do if I uncover a problem?
A machine's safeguarding is usually neither safe nor unsafe, but somewhere in between. Your job is to find ways to manage the risk and provide a safe and healthful working environment. Sometimes the fix is as simple as installing a panel over the hazard with tamper proof hardware.

In most cases, the safety risk cannot be eliminated so it must be managed. This is accomplished by guarding the hazard with physical barriers and electronic devices. Barriers and shields are used to reduce the level of risk and probability of an accident.

If you do find a problem that you do not know how to fix you can we can help you decide on how to safeguard your machine so that it complies with relevant standards. Email us or call Frank at 800-262-8284 for more information.

Safeguarding Equipment and Protecting Employees from Amputations

The following article is from the OSHA website and contains valuable information on how to implement a machine guarding program to protect your most valuable asset, your employees from machine related amputations at work.

This publication is in the public domain and may be reproduced, fully or partially, without permission. Source credit is requested, but not required. The full, 60 page handbook is available as a free download here.

Amputations are among the most severe and dis-abling workplace injuries that often result in permanent disability. They are widespread and involve various activities and equipment. (The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 2005 annual survey data indicated that there were 8,450 non-fatal amputation cases – involving days away from work – for all private industry.

Anyone responsible for the operation, servicing, and maintenance (also known as use and care) of machines (which, for purposes of this publication includes equipment) — employers, employees, safety professionals, and industrial hygienists— should read this publication.

This guide can help you, the small business employer, identify and manage common amputation hazards associated with the operation and care of machines.

To prevent employee amputations, you and your employees must first be able to recognize the con-tributing factors, such as the hazardous energy associated with your machinery and the specific employee activities performed with the mechanical operation.

Understanding the mechanical components of machinery, the hazardous mechanical motion that occurs at or near these components and specific employee activities performed in conjunction with machinery operation will help employees avoid injury.

Consult these standards directly to ensure full compliance with the provisions as this publication is not a substitute for the standards. States with OSHA-approved plans have at least equivalent standards. Contact your state office for more information.

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Employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthful workplace for their employees. OSHA’s role is to assure the safety and health of America’s employees by setting and enforcing standards; providing training, outreach, and education; establishing partnerships; and encouraging continual improvement in workplace safety and health.

This publication is in the public domain and may be reproduced, fully or partially, without permission. Source credit is requested, but not required.

This information is available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: (202) 693- 1999; teletypewriter (TTY) number: (877) 889-5627.
Edwin G. Foulke, Jr.
Assistant Secretary of Labor for
Occupational Safety and Health

More machine guarding safety information at Lovegreen Machine Guarding

Last Call For This Incredible Deal!

Identifying Machine Safeguarding Issues Is Half The Battle - And Until December 31, 2009 Half The Price!

Are there machines in your facility that violate OSHA safeguarding standards? We can help you find out with an on-site, machine safety survey. Our trained professionals will come to your site and perform a Machine Safeguarding Evaluation at 50% off the regular price.

From now until December 31st, 2009, Lovegreen Risk Management is offering you a chance to have your machines inspected for safety and regulatory compliance at 50% off our normal rates.

This great deal applies to all surveys scheduled by 12/31/09 and performed before 3/31/10.

Take the guesswork out of machine safety and rely on our 30+ years experience to assist you with proven, real-world guarding and control recommendations to achieve machine compliance. Learn more about machine guarding.

Due to an overwhelming response to this fantastic deal, we must end this promotion on December 31, 2009. Call Frank Schmidt at 1-651-707-9585 today for more information or to schedule a machine safety survey.

Lovegreen Machine Guarding ---- 1.800.262.8284

Hazard Analysis & Machine Guarding

As an employer, you are concerned about maintaining productivity, efficiency, and employee morale. Companies that institute a comprehensive safety and machine guarding program are amazed at the positive effects on the company's business and employee attitudes! Our trained professionals will come to your site, perform a Hazard Analysis Safety Audit, and recommend proactive preventive measures.

So what is Hazard Analysis? The first thing to do is to identify potential machine hazards by determining how serious the hazard is. Will an employee be injured if this hazard is not reduced? Secondly, how likely is it that the hazard will result in an accident? Finally, how often is the machine used? A combination of all three variables results in an assessment of risk score. The higher the total score is, the higher the probability of an occurrence with the machine.

Once the hazard analysis has generated a risk score, it needs to be determined if the risk can be eliminated all together. Sometimes the fix is as simple as installing a panel over the hazard with tamper proof hardware. In most cases, if the safety risk must be managed if it cannot be eliminated. Guarding the hazard with physical barriers and electronic devices can reduce the level of risk and probability of an accident.

There are several areas of interest when performing a safety audit on a cutting or turning machine. The first step is to determine if the machine’s motor controls meet current standards. OSHA and ANSI standards require that machines have an emergency stop within the operator’s reach. It should be red, latch when pushed and have a yellow background. The standards also require that there must be a way to disconnect power coming to the machine. The switch must be able to be locked in the off position.

All machines must be equipped with a power outage device that does not allow the machine to restart automatically after a power outage. The operator must take an action, such as pushing the start button to restart the machine. Image the possibilities if a machine were to restart by itself when the power turns back on.

Another area to survey is the point of operation. This is the place where the machine does its work. For example, where a drill bit enters a piece of wood. This area must have a shield that protects the operator from chips, broken bits and coolant.

One area that needs special attention is the power-transmission components. This includes belts, pulleys, gears, couplings and rotating shafts. These items create pinch and entanglement hazards and require careful inspection. All areas power transmission items up to 7 feet from the floor must be guarded.

A final category is everything else that has not been covered yet. You need to make sure that the machine is securely anchored to the floor, a workbench or is on a mobile cart that has locking wheels. Make sure that all OEM parts, guards and labels are in place. Areas that cannot be guarded must have a sign that warns the operator.

Download a FREE Machine Safety Survey Tool to conduct your own surveys to uncover the most common problems on your woodworking and metal working machines. It is easy to use and to understand.

Lovegreen Machine Guarding