Page 43 - Energize August 2022

VIEWS AND OPINION

Myth 5: There are machine safeguarding exemptions for smaller companies open the guards without using tools that
This is false. All companies are required to safeguard their machines properly and protect aren’t readily available to operators on the
the lives and safety of their employees. What may depend on company size is the amount manufacturing floor.
that a company is required to pay in case of a safety violation. In general, regulatory agencies
see enforcement actions as a stratagem to motivate compliance, rather than simply punitive Myth 9: Performance requirements
measures. Regulatory bodies often have discretion in the nature and size of an enforcement for safety measures stop at the
action. They can issue a warning or a fine, or in extreme cases, lock out non- compliant wire.
equipment. This misconception has to do with the ways
in which various energy sources must be
Myth 6: When several machines are identical, it’s only necessary to do a risk safeguarded. Many manufacturers believe
of assessment for one of them that safeguarding in only necessary when
This is not necessarily true; it depends on the complexity of the machine. Even seemingly the energy source is electrical. As it turns
insignificant differences between machines and their positioning relative to another could out, all hazardous energy sources need
change the outcome of the risk assessment. For example, the addition of a small step to one to be “single-fault tolerant” including
of several otherwise identical machines could be sufficient to place a worker in harm’s way. hydraulic and pneumatic sources.

Myth 7: If a machine was assessed for risk before it was moved to a new Myth 10: Safety is something you
location, there is no need to do another risk assessment can just take care of once and
As with the previous myth, this depends on the complexity of the machine. Moving it to a forget about it
new location could create a requirement for a new risk assessment. When assessing access to Safety is an ongoing requirement,
a hazard on a machine, OMRON’s safety experts use a system known by the acronym “AUTO” and companies must have regular risk
to determine whether an employee can reach around, under, through or over a safeguarding assessments performed on their machines
measure to reach the hazard area. When a machine is first assessed in its original location, to ensure that that they meet the most
there may be a wall or another structure blocking access to part of it. Once it’s placed in recent safety standards. Standards evolve
a new location, the immediate surroundings may not block access in the same way, giving with the purpose of making workplaces
employees unrestricted access to the hazard. safer, and it’s imperative for manufacturers
to stay up to date and protect employees.
Myth 8: A gate using a padlock to prevent access is an acceptable and
sufficient safety measure. Contact Omron Electronics,
This is false. Movable guards providing protection against hazards need to be interlocked to Phone 011 579-2600,
signal the apparatus to stop. Fixed guards should be securely held in place either permanently info.sa@omron.com,
(by welding for example) or by means of tamper-resistant fasteners that make it impossible to www.industrial.omron.co.za

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