Machine Guarding Regulations in the UK

Industrial machinery needs to be regulated and protected to ensure the safety of its users; that is where machine guarding plays a part. This guide will explain what machine guarding is, how it is regulated, and offer machine guarding solutions.

The obvious reason that machine guarding is so important, is that it can greatly reduce injury. Though it is a simple solution to a risk factor, machine guarding can stop serious injury and, in some cases, stop a fatality. Machine guarding gives the operator peace of mind that they can work in a safe environment with reduced risks.

Machine guarding also helps to prevent a machine from being damaged through individual tampering. Components are covered and shielded away from reach, meaning that the operator cannot access them and potentially create more danger by changing or meddling with the components in the machine. The machine guarding protects the machine as much as the user.

Machine guarding is a great way to ensure that a machine meets regulations and stays operational for longer. Machine guarding has to meet certain health and safety standards to be determined safe and the machine usable. This standardisation means that each machine is regularly inspected to meet criteria, and because components are protected and maintained, they should last longer meaning a more efficient workplace. The standardising in machine guarding also reflects in machine use. An operator can then have confidence in the fact they are familiar with the machine and its components they are about to use and know what to expect from the machine. To summarise, machine guarding helps promote performance and confidence in the workplace.

Finally, a safer machine creates a more productive workplace. Operators are not obstructed from their task because they are attempting to make a machine safe themselves, nor are they cleaning up a mess created by a machine that has not been safeguarded. As well as safety, peace of mind, and performance, machine guarding also encourages a tidy and efficient environment that is both safe and clean to work in.

Health and safety regulations are put in place to protect operators of machinery and anyone in the workspace. The standards need to be met for machine guarding to be classed as safe to use. The law that protects users and regulates machine guarding is called the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER). This law tells the employer what equipment protection is needed, how it should be installed, and gives specifics if the machine requires specific guidance on guarding. PUWER sets the machine guarding safety standards and all machinery is covered by this law, big to small.

These regulations cover everyone in the workplace and are specific for industrial and professional use. Where machine guarding isn’t covered by these regulations (such as on machines used by the public) then the Health and Safety Act will usually cover safeguarding.

According to PUWER, the regulations that machine guarding must follow is that it must be fixed in place and secure. This means a machine guarding should be bolted down rather than just placed down, for optimum protection. PUWER does advise that if the machine is not able to have fixed guarding, then it should instead have guarding that works with the machine. The machine should not be able to start until the machine guarding is in place, and the machine guarding cant be removed once the machine has started. This is called interlocking machine guarding. Wire guarding with large holes may not be the best material to guard the user against a machine that involves a fast-moving sharp object, as fingers could get stuck in the holes and cause injury. PUWER also states that much like the machinery itself, users require adequate knowledge and training in machine guarding to be deemed safe to operate the machinery.

Another governing body that regulates machine guarding is International Organization for Standardization (ISO). This institute regulates hazards in the same way as PUWER to enable machine guarding to be put in place to protect the operator.