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Construction and Maintenance of Guards

30 CFR 56.14112 and 57.14112

30 CFR 75.1722 and 77.400

 

  56/57.14112

(a) Guards shall be constructed and maintained to -
(1) Withstand the vibration, shock, and wear to which they will be subjected during normal operation; and
(2) Not create a hazard by their use.
(b) Guards shall be securely in place while machinery is being operated, except when testing or making adjustments which cannot be performed without removal of the guard.

There is no MSHA policy for this standard.

 

75.1722

a) Gears; sprockets; chains; drive, head, tail, and takeup pulleys; flywheels; couplings, shafts; sawblades; fan inlets; and similar exposed moving machine parts which may be contacted by persons, and which may cause injury to persons shall be guarded.

(b) Guards at conveyor-drive, conveyor-head, and conveyor-tail pulleys shall extend a distance sufficient to prevent a person from reaching behind the guard and becoming caught between the belt and the pulley.

(c) Except when testing the machinery, guards shall be securely in place while machinery is being operated.

 

MSHA policy can be found here: 75.1722

 

77.400

(a) Gears; sprockets; chains; drive, head, tail, and takeup pulleys; flywheels; couplings; shafts; sawblades; fan inlets; and similar exposed moving machine parts which may be contacted by persons, and which may cause injury to persons shall be guarded.

(b) Overhead belts shall be guarded if the whipping action from a broken line would be hazardous to persons below.

(c) Guards at conveyor-drive, conveyor-head, and conveyor-tail pulleys shall extend a distance sufficient to prevent a person from reaching behind the guard and becoming caught between the belt and the pulley.

(d) Except when testing the machinery, guards shall be securely in place while machinery is being operated.

 

MSHA policy can be found here: 77.400

 

These standards apply to the durability of equipment guards and their ability to withstand wear and damage during normal operation.  The standards also address the removal, replacement, and secure installation of guards.

 

Issues to Consider in Determining Compliance:

        Was the guard built to retain its integrity during normal operation?

        Was substantial material used to construct the guard?

        If the guard was removed for maintenance, was it replaced and secured?

        Was the guard secured properly to prevent persons from contacting moving machine parts?

(75.1722 - mechanical equipment guards)

(77.400 - mechanical equipment guards)

 

        Was the guard designed, constructed, and installed to prevent the creation of hazards to persons?

 

Other issues covered by related standards:

        Does the guard protect personnel from the hazardous whipping action of broken components?

(56.14108 or 57.14108 - overhead drive belts)

(77.400(b) - overhead drive belts)

 

        Does the travelway have a stop device or railing its entire length?

»      Are the stop devices functional?

»      Are the railings:

»      positioned to prevent persons from falling on or against the conveyor?

»      able to withstand the vibration, shock, and wear that they are subjected to during normal operations?

»      Constructed and maintained so they do not create a hazard?

(56.14109 or 57.14109 - unguarded conveyors with adjacent travelways)

(77.1607(cc) - unguarded conveyors with adjacent walkways)

 

        Were personnel protected from material that falls or is thrown from conveyors, crushers, mills (metal and nonmetal) or dump sites (coal)?

(56.14110 or 57.14110 - flying or falling material)

(77.1608(c) - adequate protection at dump sites where persons may be endangered by falling material)

 

        Were drum covers installed on slushers to protect against backlash?

(56.14111 or 57.14111 - slusher and backlash guards)

 

 

 

        Were grinding machines equipped with guards or shrouds to protect against contact or potential eye hazards?

(56.14115 or 57.14115 - stationary grinding machines)

(77.401 - protective devices for stationary grinding machines)