MACHINE SAFETY
Apr 26, 2022
What is Machine Safety?
To define machine safety is to understand the limitations of the machine. Lack of controls such as inadequate training, insufficient preventative maintenance, inadequate guarding and no risk assessment can cause serious injury or even death. Depending on the type of machine being used various different injuries can present themselves and it's important to be aware of yourself and your surroundings at all times as body parts being entangled, nipped, crushed, burned or amputated due to lack of machine safety it possible and more common than one may think.
So What?
According to Safe Work Australia statistics (Key Work Health and Safety Statistics, Australia 2021) machinery related serious injuries rose from 8.4 to 9.1 per million hours worked and fatalities 8.3 to 8.4 per 100,000 workers.
So how do we prevent injuries from machinery in your brewery?
Below are just 3 risk management strategies you can implement to reduce the potential for machinery related injuries.
Plant Risk Assessment
A plant and equipment risk assessment should be considered prior to any use of newly acquired machinery, even if a manufacturer has provided their own. As the machine is being used within your brewery or facility, it is important that the machine has been assessed and then modified using the Hierarchy of Controls to eliminate, or as a minimum engineered to ensure no harm is caused to the operator or other workers.
Engineering controls are used to reduce the hazard present in the working environment, normally by isolating the workers from the hazard. This could involve designing or installing safeguards to separate workers from machinery. Some example of some safeguards include:
- E-stops (but should not be the only control in-place and periodically check for functionality)
- Warning devices (i.e. lights, motion sensors, audible alarms, horns, physical displays of temperature, etc.)
- Physical guarding (i.e. permanent, interlocked, fixed, presence sensing, pressure-sensitive flooring, etc.)
Preventative Maintenance
Preventative maintenance, design and machine safety all go hand in hand. Preventative maintenance is conducted to ensure the safety systems installed on the equipment are maintained to the appropriate standard. Preventative maintenance systems need to ensure the safety systems will be effective when called upon.
Lock-Out Tag-Out
As part of maintaining machinery, it is essential to have a Lock-Out Tag-Out (LOTO) procedure. LOTO is a safety practice to ensure de-energisation of electrical equipment and ensuring no one is injured accidentally by turning on the machine whilst workers are conducting maintenance. The LOTO system may utilise a specialised lock for locking out the system and tag to keep others in the business aware of how and why the machine is tagged out.
Contact us for further information or advice on machine safety processes for your team and to obtain a free plant and risk assessment template.
Furthermore, Victual can conduct a Plant Risk Assessment on machinery within your facility or provide guidance on the risk management process, so don't hesitate to reach out, we would be more than happy to help.
SafeWork Australia - Managing the Risk of Plant in the Workplace
SafeWork NSW – Guide to Machine Safety
SafeWork QLD – Guide to Machinery and equipment Safety
SafeWork TAS - Managing the risks of plant
WorkSafe VIC – Machinery and Equipment Guide
