Mechanical hazards are hazards created by the use of or exposure to either powered or manually operated equipment, machinery, and plants. Mechanical injuries are mostly caused either by contact or entanglement with machinery. Part of the machinery that could be hazardous to workers includes sharp edges, hot surfaces, moving parts, flywheels, pulleys, belts, etc.
Where Mechanical Hazards Occur
It occurs majorly in three (3) areas:
- The point of operation: The point where work is performed on the material, such as cutting, shaping, boring, etc.
- Power transmission apparatus: Components of the mechanical system that transmit energy to the part of the machine performing the work. Examples are flywheels, pulleys, belts, connecting rods, couplings, cams, spindles, chains, cranks, gears, etc.
- Machine moving parts: Parts of the machine that move while the machine is working. These may include reciprocating, rotating, and transverse moving parts, as well as feed mechanisms and auxiliary parts of the machine.
Example of mechanical hazards: These are hazards that arise from the operation of machinery and equipment with moving parts.
These hazards include:
- Rotating Parts: Shafts, gears, pulleys, and flywheels that can entangle clothing, hair, or limbs.
- Sharp Edges: Blades, cutting tools, and saws that can cause severe lacerations.
- Crushing Points: Areas where body parts can get caught between moving and stationary parts.
- Shear Points: Areas where two moving parts move across each other, leading to severe cuts or amputations.
- Pinch Points: Points where two parts move together and can trap fingers or hands.
- Impact Hazards: Parts that move suddenly and can strike workers.
Common Mechanical Injuries
- Fracture: Fracture is the medical term for a broken bone. It can be classified as a simple, compound, or complete fracture.
- Puncturing/Stabbing: Puncturing results when an object penetrates straight into the body and pulls straight out, creating a wound in the shape of the penetrating object.
- Straining and spraining: A strain results when muscles are overstretched or torn. Strains and sprains can cause swelling and intense pain.
- Impact: Being hit by ejected parts of the machinery or equipment
- Friction and abrasion: A section of the skin being rubbed away by the machine.
- Entrapment: Being caught in a moving part of a machine equipment or plant.
- Crushing: The collision of a plant with a person can result in crushing.
- Shear: This can be two moving parts (sharp or otherwise) moving across one another.
- High-pressure injection: This is an injury caused by the high-pressure injection of oil, grease, diesel fuel, gasoline, solvents, water, or even air, into the body.
- Cut: Severing of a human body part by a cutting motion e.g. amputation
Managing Mechanical Hazards
All hazards associated with the use of machinery can be managed by adopting safe work procedures and the application of appropriate safeguards.
Safeguarding helps to minimize the risk of accidents from machines by forming a barrier that protects the operator or other persons from the equipment hazard point/danger area. Most guards are used at the point of operation. There are different types of machine guards.
Steps to Manage Mechanical Hazards
1. Risk Assessment
Conduct a thorough risk assessment to identify and evaluate mechanical hazards in the workplace. This involves:
- Inspecting machinery and equipment for potential dangers.
- Assessing tasks where workers interact with machines.
- Reviewing past incidents and near misses.
2. Machine Guarding
Proper machine guarding is essential in preventing contact with hazardous moving parts. Common types of machine guards include:
- Fixed Guards – Permanent barriers that enclose dangerous areas.
- Interlocked Guards – Shut down the machine when removed or opened.
- Adjustable Guards – Allows flexibility for different tasks while ensuring protection.
- Self-Adjusting Guards – Moves according to the machine’s operation while maintaining a barrier.
3. Safe Work Procedures
- Develop and enforce standard operating procedures (SOPs) for working with machinery.
- Ensure machines are used only for their intended purpose.
- Prohibit bypassing or removing machine guards.
4. Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) Procedures
- Implement a LOTO program to control hazardous energy during maintenance and repair.
- Ensure only trained personnel perform LOTO procedures.
- Verify energy isolation before servicing machines.
5. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
While PPE should not be the primary control measure, it provides additional protection. Essential PPE includes:
- Safety gloves for handling sharp objects.
- Safety goggles to protect against flying debris.
- Steel-toe boots to prevent foot injuries.
- Protective clothing to reduce the risk of entanglement.
6. Employee Training and Awareness
- Train employees on machine hazards and safe work practices.
- Provide refresher training to reinforce safety measures.
- Encourage reporting of malfunctioning guards or unsafe machinery.
7. Regular Maintenance and Inspections
- Schedule routine maintenance to prevent mechanical failures.
- Inspect guards, emergency stop devices, and warning signs.
- Promptly repair or replace damaged equipment.
Types of Machine Guards
Fixed guards: Fixed guard is a permanent part of the machine. It is not dependent upon moving parts to function. It may be constructed of sheet metal, screen, wire cloth, bars, plastic, or any other material that is substantial enough to withstand whatever impact it may receive and to endure prolonged use.
Interlocked guards: Shut down the machine when the guard is not securely in place or is disengaged. The main advantage of this type of guard is that it allows safe access to the machine
Adjustable guards: Provide a barrier against a variety of different hazards associated with different production operations. They have the advantage of flexibility. However, they are not as dependable barriers as other guards, and they require frequent maintenance and careful adjustment.
Self-adjusting guard: The openings of these barriers are determined by the movement of the stock. As the operator moves the stock into the danger area, the guard is pushed away, providing an opening that is only large enough to admit the stock. After the stock is removed, the guard returns to the rest position. This guard protects the operator by placing a barrier between the danger area and the operator.
Since safeguarding helps manage hazards associated with the use of machinery and equipment, the need for safe work procedures must not be left out. The safe work procedures cover:
- Adopting a safe system of work
- Equipment inspection and maintenance
- Adequate training and
- Supervision.
READ: OHS Meaning (Occupational Health And Safety)?
A plumber in Dudley says “Workers should execute safe working practices. There are lots of job fields like Environmental services that work with machines in their daily operations. Even if your employees are well-geared, we advise that supervision should still be present at all times.”
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