Introduction

The objective of the Amputations category of the Consultation Activity Performance Project is to discover the major causes of amputations in the workplace and help develop strategies to prevent them.

The following SICs were identified by OSHA to be of concern:

With the constraints of the Consultation program, other industries were added to our study. These industries included general woodworking facilities and machine shop facilities within non-strategic industries.

Major Findings

During the past year, 16 companies in the above industries received a safety survey. Out of those 16, only two (2) had injuries resulting in amputation. However, over 92 machine guarding hazards were found, with 49 of those associated with an absence of point of operation safeguarding. In addition, 19 Lockout/Tagout hazards were found. Clearly one of the major potential injury outcomes from the lack of point of operation guarding is limb amputation.

Visit and Hazard Summary

Companies with mechanical power presses or press brakes:	06
Machine guarding hazards found:	92*
Point of operation hazards found:	49
Point of operation hazards on power presses or press brakes found:	38
Lockout/Tagout hazards found:	19

*All machine guarding hazards were abated either during or following the safety survey.

Recommendations

Guard all point of operation hazards. The traditional means of machine safeguarding are described below. They include the use of barrier or fixed guarding and detection devices that will effectively stop or prevent equipment from operating when the hands enter the hazard area or prevent the hands from entering the hazard area (e.g., pullback and restraint). Finally, physical location may help prevent access to the hazard area.

Examples of Methods of Machine Guarding:

1. Guards
   • Fixed
   • Interlocked
   • Adjustable
   • Self-adjusting
2. Devices
   • Presence Sensing
   • Pullback
   • Restraint
   • Safety Controls
     • Safety trip control (pressure sensitive body bar, safety tripod, safety trip wire/cable)
     • Two hand control
     • Two hand trip
   • Gates
3. Location/Distance
4. Other
   • Auto/semi-auto feed
   • Autto/semi-auto ejection
   • Robot
   • Awareness barriers
   • Miscellaneous protective shield
   • Hand-feeding tools and holdings

Guard all other machine hazards including power transmission equipment.

Types of Hazardous Mechanical Motions and Actions

• Rotating (including in-running nip points, belts and pulleys, shafts, etc.)
• Reciprocating
• Transverse
• Cutting
• Punching
• Shearing
• Bending

Requirements for Safeguards

1. Prevent contact with hazard(s)
2. Secure in place
3. Protect from falling objects
4. Create no new hazards
5. Create no interference
6. Allow for safe easy access and lubrication

Train employees on the importance of guarding.

Training should include the following:

1. A description and identification of the hazards associated with particular machines. A good format for this is the Job Hazard Analysis. This method requires that you break down each job into its basic steps or elements and describe the hazards and controls associated with each step. See OSHA Publication # 3071 for information on how to develop JHAs at your workplace (www.osha.gov).
2. The safeguards themselves, how they provide protection, and the hazards for which they are intended.
3. How to use and adjust the safeguarding system and why.
4. How and under what circumstances safeguards can be removed, and by whom (in most cases, repair and maintenance personnel only).
5. What to do if a safeguard is damaged, missing, or unable to provide adequate protection.

To protect employees from the unexpected energization of equipment during machine maintenance and repair operations it is essential to implement a complete Lockout/Tagout program that includes written procedures and training of all employees.

Lockout/Tagout Program elements:

Contact Georgia Tech to request a copy of our sample Lockout/Tagout Program.

Resources:

OSHA Machine Guarding Site: http://www.osha-slc.gov/SLTC/machineguarding/index.html

Robotics Industries Association: http://www.roboticsonline.com

Machine Guarding Vendor: http://www.rockfordsystems.com

Oklahoma State University Machine Guarding Site: http://www.pp.okstate.edu/ehs/links/machine.htm

Manitoba Labour Workplace Safety and Health Division: http://www.gov.mb.ca/labour/safety/publicat/guidelin/machine/machine.html

National Safety Council's two volume ACCIDENT PREVENTION MANUAL for Business & Industry (go to http://www.nsc.org and click on "Products")

OSHA Publication #3071: Job Hazard Analysis (available on the OSHA website: http://www.osha.gov)

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