GUIDEBOOK

Machine Safeguarding

Safeguarding refers to a variety of controls that are applied (generally) to machinery and equipment in an industrial manufacturing environment. The OHS regulation in British Columbia defines a safeguard as follows: “Safeguard” means the use of a guard, a safety device, a shield, an awareness barrier, warning signs, or other appropriate means, either singly or in combination, to provide effective protection to workers from hazards; [OHS Regulation 12.1 Definitions].

The purpose of a safeguard is to reliably protect a worker from danger. Where safeguarding is applied, risk reduction is achieved in part by the reliability of the devices used in conjunction with the performance level of the circuit they are integrated to.