Machinery and equipment can pose significant fall risks for employees working near and above them. That’s why it’s essential to provide adequate machine guarding fall protection devices and equipment, to keep employees safe, avoid costly OSHA fines, and reduce expensive damage to your facility’s equipment.

Your Legal Duty to Provide Fall Protection

Per OSHA 1910.28, whenever workers are performing their duties at a height of 4′ or more you need to provide fall protection. This rule pertains to all elevated surfaces inside as well as outside your facility. It also states that you must provide fall protection around floor and wall openings, roof hatches, skylights, stairways and ladders. You can choose the most appropriate form of OSHA-compliant safety equipment to use including:

• Guardrail Systems
• Industrial Swing Gates
• Personal Protection Devices
• Safety Nets

What’s Different About Protecting Workers Near / Over Machinery?

When it comes to keeping workers safe around machinery, you need to be a bit more diligent. The general industry rule of needing protection at heights of 4′ and above doesn’t apply to guarding machines. In fact, the OSHA 1910.28 clearly states that workers need to be protected at any height above dangerous equipment. However, the type of equipment you should use will vary depending on height.

Machine Protection at 4′ or Less

Any employee working less than 4 feet above dangerous machinery must be protected from falling into it or onto it in one of three ways. Either you’ll install a guardrail system, a travel restraint system, or a cover over the equipment to eliminate the hazard. Your machinery may also pose a hazard when employees are on the same level, depending upon the specific hazards present. It’s best to consult a qualified safety expert to discuss your obligations for machine guarding.

Machine Protection at 4′ or More

If employees will be working 4 feet or more over machinery and equipment you must provide additional protection. While you should absolutely be using passive systems including guardrail systems, safety nets, you also want to incorporate active travel restraint systems, and personal fall arrest systems.

Machine Guarding Do’s and Don’ts

When it comes to protecting workers above and near dangerous machines there are some things you should do, and a few that you shouldn’t. Just a few things to keep in mind include:

Don’t Ignore Fall Hazards

You are fully aware of the dangers that workers face around your equipment and machines. Don’t ignore any potential hazards or you’re setting yourself and your employees up for bad things to happen.

Do Perform Thorough Inspections

Enlist the help of a qualified individual to perform a safety inspection of your machinery and the areas above and near it. Accurately list any fall hazards or other concerns and determine how to address them.

Don’t Use Equipment that Isn’t OSHA-compliant 

All of the fall safety equipment you use, whether it’s a modular guard rail system or personal protection devices, has to be OSHA-compliant. Otherwise, you could be putting workers in danger, and you’ll be out of compliance.

Do Use the Right Equipment for Machine Protection 

It’s absolutely vital that you use the right equipment to protect employees working above dangerous machinery and equipment. Follow the advice of a competent safety expert to ensure OSHA-compliance.

Don’t Leave Dangerous Machinery Exposed

Guardrails and toeboards are essential to keep equipment and people safe from falls and falling objects. A modular guard rail and swing gate can also provide security for dangerous areas of your facility.

Do Protect Machinery and Equipment from Unauthorized Access

In addition to providing protection from falls, guardrails are an excellent way to keep unauthorized individuals from accessing the areas around dangerous equipment. This limits exposure to fall hazards in and around the machinery as well.

Don’t Assume Workers Know Safety Protocol

Your employees should know to avoid hazards such as the space above or near machinery unless they’re using the proper safety equipment. But don’t assume – you must always demand and verify compliance with safety guidelines,

Do Provide Safety Training for Employees

Develop a culture of safety in your workplace by introducing new hires to the safety protocols during the onboarding process. Continue training sessions periodically to ensure workers are all safety minded.

Don’t Forget Falling Object Protection Over Machinery

Another thing that you need to keep in mind when discussing your machine protection needs is falling object protection. The last thing you need is for equipment, tools, or other foreign objects ending up inside your equipment. Not only could the machine sustain damage, but it could also cause an employee to get hurt. In addition to the modular guard rail system and swing gate, you also need an affixed toeboard. Per OSHA, toeboards must:

• Be installed on the exposed edge of the surface above to sufficiently protect employees (and equipment) below.
• Have a vertical height of at least 3.5 inches from the walking/working surface.
• Not have any opening more than 0.25 inches above the walking surface.
• Be solid and free of openings of more than 1 inch.
• Be able to withstand a force of 50 lbs. of downward or outward force.

If you’re storing supplies and equipment above dangerous machinery, you need to take extra precautions. For example, you need to install a panel or screen between the toeboard and midrails when materials reach this height. If items are stacked higher than that, you’ll also need to put in a panel or screen up to the top rail to ensure nothing falls into the machine below.

Don’t Overcomplicate Simple, Effective, OSHA-Compliant Options

Full and immediate compliance with OSHA machine guarding requirements can be easy (and require little or no interruption of your operation to implement) when you choose the best equipment for each application. Safety railings, a swing gate, and an attached toeboard may be all you need to keep workers safe and ensure your company’s compliance. And if you use a modular guardrail, you’ll be able to set have fall protection in place even more quickly, as well as being able to reposition and reconfigure it according to your changing needs.

Do Talk to a Machine Guarding and Fall Protection Partner You Can Count On

Your employees count on you to provide them with the safe workplace they deserve. You can’t let them down and you can’t afford to be out of compliance with OSHA guidelines. If you have industrial equipment hazards in your facility that haven’t been fully addressed, don’t wait for something to happen. You need to act quickly and decisively.

Contact Fabenco today to discuss your machine guarding and fall safety needs. We’ll help you determine what types of OSHA-compliant safety systems are most appropriate for your facility.