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Tag Archive: machine safety

You’re Just Not My Type – Part 1: Guards
February 2, 2026 11:36 am Leave a Comment
Selecting the best or most effective way to reduce or eliminate risk from a particular machine hazard is an extremely important process. It can mean the difference between someone going home and hugging their wife and children…to never going home again. The hazard control hierarchy (see figure below) is an available tool that illustrates what is known to be most effective to least effective when it comes to eliminating machine hazards or reducing the risk from those hazards to an acceptable level. Removing the hazard by designing it out is by far most effective. (more…)
KEEP the CHANGE?
October 2, 2025 9:44 am Leave a Comment
As we all know, change is a part of life. Sometimes the results from change are good. And we know sometimes change may result in things becoming worse, although it may not be immediately evident. I think it is safe to say that when we intentionally make changes to something, our goal is to make it better with respect to one or more metrics. Engineers working in manufacturing facilities are often asked to make changes to existing machines and processes for multiple reasons: (more…)
Machine Guarding Resources
June 26, 2025 8:33 am Leave a Comment
So, you find yourself with a machine hazard that you need to guard. Where do your turn for guidance regarding guards? Several resources are available for the person who is tasked with providing machine guarding.

The United States government provides resources in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). These can be found at www.ecfr.gov. Title 29 of the CFR, section 1910 covers “General Industry” regulations. 1910 Subpart O, covers Machinery and Machine Guarding. Definitions are covered in 1910.211 and it is wise to understand how terms are defined. For instance, in 1910.211(a)(1), Point of operations is defined by the regulation as “that point at which cutting, shaping, boring, or forming is accomplished on the stock.” (more…)
Safety Hazards in Waterjet Cutting
May 15, 2025 8:27 am Leave a Comment
Waterjet cutting machines (often simply called ‘waterjets’ in the industry) are essentially platforms that use ultra-high pressure water to manufacture cut parts with accuracy as high as .001 inch. They can cut materials ranging from glass and stone to steel and even plastics. Such machines can cost under $1.00 per minute to run, even including labor. Waterjets are some of the most versatile cutting tools available today. They produce virtually no heat-affected zone. They also use CNC (computer numerically controlled) programs, which allow continuously variable speeds for different edge conditions and cut quality. The waterjet dissipates heat, and the jet stream minimizes harmful chemical vaporization from cut materials. Small and mid-sized companies throughout the U.S. depend on these powerful tools to manage all sorts of custom two-dimensional cuts.

But waterjets present unique hazards to the manufacturing environment. The following challenges require special attention: (more…)
Safety Distance in Machine Safeguarding
December 4, 2024 9:06 am Leave a Comment
Hazard can be defined as a potential source of harm. Machine safeguarding seeks to protect people from these potential sources of harm. Often distance from a hazard will play a key role in providing a means of protection.

One would often think of distance as it relates to the location of a barrier guard from a hazard. ANSI B11.19, Performance Criteria for Safeguarding, defines safety distance as “the distance a safeguard is installed from a hazard such that individuals are not exposed to a hazard.” An example from ANSI B11.19 of the recommended distance of a slotted opening in a barrier guard from a hazard is shown (more…)
FORKLIFT Etiquette: DON’T BE A LOUSY TIPPER!
March 7, 2024 8:36 am Leave a Comment
That is always good advice to follow if you are a forklift driver! Operating a forklift can be a dangerous occupation. There are approximately 1 million forklifts (powered industrial trucks) in the US workplace today, and it is estimated that just over 10% of those are involved in some type of accident every year. Forklift accidents result in dozens of deaths and thousands of non-fatal injuries annually. About one out of every four of those accidents involves a tipping or overturning forklift, making this the most common type of industrial truck accident. (more…)
The Importance of Crane Wire Rope Lubrication
February 6, 2023 10:46 am Leave a Comment
Wire ropes are critical components of cranes and play a crucial role in ensuring the safety and efficiency of crane operations. To extend the life of these ropes and maintain their strength and performance, it is essential to regularly lubricate them. (more…)
Danger Within Reach
October 13, 2022 9:37 am Leave a Comment
How far away from a hazard should you stay? Your parents or grandparents would probably have told you to stay far away, but what are you to do when a hazard is present, and you must work around or near the hazard? And what exactly is a hazard? ISO 12100 Safety of machinery – General principles for design – Risk assessment and risk reduction defines a hazard as a “potential source of harm.”

Where would a designer of a machine or product start if they wished to protect the user from a known hazard? Consensus standards are a great place to begin the quest for safety. (more…)
HEY…Cover Up Please!
June 20, 2022 12:36 pm Leave a Comment
Machine guards can be compared to the clothes we wear every day. Indeed, they serve a very important purpose. Imagine someone leaving their home on a fine, sunny morning wearing nothing but a smile. Wonder how far they will get through the day before things start going poorly for this individual?

There will be more than a few raised eyebrows and blushes when he stops into the local Starbucks for his usual morning double-dipped and whipped, chocolaty chip with a touch of pumpkin spice cappuccino fix. Good luck with that! Probably going to leave disappointed, empty-handed, and likely wearing handcuffs. This will be the beginning of a very long, very bad day for that individual. Had he recognized the risks associated with this type of behavior, and then put forth a little effort to cover up, he would have prevented many unfavorable and possibly life-changing personal and legal problems from ever occurring!

And so it is with properly guarding a machine. Machine safeguarding helps to protect workers from preventable injuries. (more…)
WARREN Welcomes Mechanical Engineer Bob Hickman, P.E.
March 17, 2022 1:40 pm Leave a Comment
Please join us in welcoming Mechanical Engineer Bob Hickman, P.E., to the WARREN family! Bob has over 30 years of manufacturing and machine design experience in production and quality-driven environments. Bob holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Clemson University.

Bob’s Areas of Expertise Include:
-Machine Safeguarding
-Machine Design
-Equipment Failure
-Mechanical Engineering
-Industrial Accident Investigation
-Codes & Standards
-Machinery & Equipment Damage Assessment
-Products Liability (more…)

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