FOX Corporation requires the use of machine guards to protect its employees during their use of powered equipment and tools to perform their work.
1.0 SCOPE
FOX Corporation (FOX) is committed to the use of machine guards to protect worker safety. This Procedure addresses requirements for installation, inspection, and removal of machine guards during normal and maintenance work activities, and applies for all equipment accessible by a worker. Exemptions from any requirement must be obtained from FOX’s Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) Department prior to implementation.
2.0 DEFINITIONS
Machine Guards: physical devices installed on machinery to protect operators and other personnel from harmful contacts with hazards, such as moving/rotating components, pinch points, exposed electrical circuits, hot surfaces, or machine operating points.
3.0 RESPONSIBILITIES
In addition to required Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) Program responsibilities discussed in EHS001, EHS Policy, the responsibilities described below are necessary to ensure the effectiveness of the procedure.
3.1 DEPARTMENT HEADS
Affected Department Heads will:
1. Ensure that their personnel are aware of these machine guarding requirements
2. Ensure that all machine guards are installed and properly utilized, and that any removal of machine guards occurs only during maintenance activities, and is done in accordance with manufacturer recommendations and the requirements of this Procedure.
3.2 EMPLOYEES
All Fox employees will observe the machine guarding requirements specified in this Procedure
3.3 ENVIRONMENTAL, HEALTH AND SAFETY DEPARTMENT
The EHS Department will:
1. Develop appropriate standards for machine guarding in all Fox activities
2. Review and update this Procedure annually, or as necessary, to comply with regulatory changes.
4.0 PROCEDURE
Except during maintenance activities, no machine guard will be removed or bypassed when operating any tool or piece of machinery.
4.1 MACHINE GUARDING
Typically, moving parts (e.g., rotating parts) require machine guards to prevent employee injury.
Guards must be firmly fixed or secured, with no more than one-half (1/2)-inch-diameter openings.
If work equipment does not have the proper machine guards installed, it must be removed from service, and locked out/tagged out, until the proper guard is installed.
Guards must conform to the following requirements:
1. All belts, gears, shafts, pulleys, sprockets, spindles, drums, flywheels, chains, or other reciprocating, rotating, or moving parts of equipment must be guarded when exposed to contact by persons, or when they otherwise create a hazard.
2. All hot surfaces of equipment, including exhaust pipes or other lines, must be guarded or insulated to prevent injury and fire.
3. All equipment having a charging skip must be provided with guards on both sides, and open end of the skip area, to prevent persons from walking under the skip while it is elevated.
4. Platforms, footwalks, steps, handholds, guardrails, and toeboards must be designed, constructed, and installed on machinery and equipment to provide safe footing and access ways.
5. Prior to operation, all power transmission guards, point of operation guards, and/or devices must be installed to effectively protect the operator(s)/employee(s) from the danger zone(s).
4.2 OPERATOR REQUIREMENTS
1. Under no circumstances, will employees remove manufacturer-installed guards (except during maintenance procedures), or use in a manner inconsistent with the manufacturer’s directions.
2. When two hand-control devices provide guarding, the devices must be constructed to prevent tie down of either of the two, or to prevent bridging (i.e., using something else, such as a pipe to hold down both control devices simultaneously with one hand).
3. Under no circumstances, will dead man switches be bypassed (e.g., taped down as in the case of abrasive blast guns).
4.3 DAILY/SHIFT INSPECTIONS AND TESTS
Inspections and tests of all guards must be in accordance with manufacturer’s recommendations and must be documented. All machinery and equipment must be inspected daily to ensure safe operating conditions.
4.4 AUTO-STARTING EQUIPMENT
Some process equipment start automatically in response to control system inputs or system sensors. Since inadvertent start-up can present special worker hazards, all auto-starting equipment must be identified and a label affixed to each, reading:
CAUTION
EQUIPMENT MAY START WITHOUT WARNING
DE-ENERGIZE BEFORE SERVICING
For auto-starting equipment, a lock-out/tag-out procedure, meeting the requirements in EHS 403, Lockout Tagout, must be implemented before any guard may be removed.
5.0 REFERENCES
EHS 001, EHS Policy
EHS 403, Lockout/Tagout
6.0 ATTACHMENTS
None.