Manufacturing Safety Alliance of BC
Machine Safeguarding Resources

All machines and equipment come with some levels of hazard. Machine safeguarding protects machine operators and other workers from the hazards created by the machine during regular operations.

Incidents from unguarded machines can cause SEVERE injuries including:

  • lacerations
  • maiming
  • amputations
  • death

Safeguarding the machinery in your workplace not only helps to reduce workplace injury – it can make workers more confidant and comfortable working around machinery.

Machine guarding helps to:

  • Prevent contact with parts of the machine that could cause injury
  • Secure the device and prevent tampering
  • Protects from debris while the machine is in use

Machine guarding comes in many forms, including fixed guards, interlocked guards, adjustable guards, and self-adjusting guards.

Learn more about machine safeguarding with the resources below.

Basic Training
Course
Available by e-Learning
For workers and supervisors: understand what hazardous energy is and identify it in your workplace. Learn to apply the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations (OHSR) requirements for lockout and de-energization to prevent the release of hazardous energy to prevent injuries and property damage.
Course
Available Virtually by Video ConferenceInstructor-Led Classroom Training
Every day workers have to deal with hazardous energy from machinery and equipment. Are there safeguards in place to prevent contact with hazardous power, point of contact (body part and equipment) and ejecting material?
Videos & Webinars
Working with machines presents opportunities for safely improving productivity. New, collaborative applications bring worker and robot into closer proximity, introducing a host of new benefits— and potential hazards.
Machine Safeguarding Resources Resources and Tools
Conveyors replace manual transport processes to create more reliable, ergonomic, and organized operations. But with benefits also come hazards. New and young workers are regularly injured (injuries to hands, lacerations, fractured arms, amputated fingers, etc.) and even killed when working around or on conveyor systems. Conveyor systems can pull you into a machine extremely quickly.
Toolbox Talk
Lockout/tagout is a safety practice. Dangerous machinery is shut off and can’t be started again before maintenance work is done. Lockout/tagout protects workers from serious injury or death while working on equipment.
All machines have potential hazards that can result in injury – or even death – to workers. Machine guarding is an important safety measure to protect workers. Make machine safeguarding the topic of your next Toolbox Talk with our conversation guide and safety facts.
The Machine Safety program model helps employers to understand the management and administration of a safeguarding process – including the legislative requirements in British Columbia such as regulation and safeguarding controls. Download your copy today.
When business operations depend on the use of complicated machinery, establishing safety requirements is critical to the protection of workers from the hazards arising from its use. Machine guards prevent worker access to moving parts of machinery, lockout ensures machines do not start up unexpectedly, and blocking prevents a machine that is temporarily raised from falling or moving during work such as maintenance. All manufacturers would benefit from completing an inventory and hazard assessment for each piece of their machinery. Schedule a scoping with our specialist advisors today.
Understand the fundamentals of machine safeguarding. Learn about the common types of machine hazards and their control methods—including the importance of regular inspections and maintenance. Whether you’re a manager, supervisor, or safety professional, this is a must-attend session for anyone looking to improve their machine safeguarding knowledge and practices. Join us to keep your team […]
Understand the fundamentals of machine safeguarding. In this case study, look at the essentials to a world-class machine safeguarding program. Learn about the common types of machine hazards and their control methods—including the importance of regular inspections and maintenance. Whether you’re a manager, supervisor, or safety professional, this is a must-attend session for anyone looking […]
News & Blog Articles
Who does this impact? WorkSafeBC has announced that in 2024, as part of their Planned Inspections Initiative, they will be focusing inspections on the following manufacturing classification units (CUs). Historically, workers in these CUs are at higher risk for serious injury....
Cobotix leads way in integrating human staff with robots By Rosa Diaz and Ada Slivinski (Edited from an article published in Sheet Metal Journal, September 3, 2019). In their early days as a sheet metal fabrication shop, Cobotix Manufacturing in...