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News Release from: BSI British Standards
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 24 January 2006
Guide to safe use of machinery
Written by industry experts, a guide to safe use of machinery deals with issues from selection of protective measures and safeguards to practical examples of guard design and their application.
Written by industry experts and with contributions and support from the Health and Safety Executive, BSI has published PD 5304:2005 Guidance on safe use of machinery Newly revised, PD 5304:2005 aims to promote machinery safety by providing guidance which deals with issues from selection of protective measures and safeguards to practical examples of guard design and their application
This article was originally published on Engineeringtalk on 16 Nov 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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The guidance can also be applied to machinery during its use to assist those persons with duties under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.
It is for those who have responsibility, directly or indirectly, for use and refurbishment, upgrade or change of use of machinery, machinery guarding or protective devices.
It is also intended to be used by those concerned with developing and implementing safe working practices.
In 2004-05, seven million working days were lost due to injury within the workplace.
Many of these were machine related.
The risks and hazards of machines at work are many from trapping between rollers or cogs to entanglement or contact with moving and rotating parts, which can cause injuries such as cuts and abrasions.
In most cases, organisations are given the second chance to rectify the cause of machinery related accidents.
However, the accident could result in permanent injury or fatality.
In these instances, prevention is better than reaction.
In line with the Machinery Directive (98/37/EC), it is essential that those designing, manufacturing and operating machinery are aware of all the relevant health and safety issues surrounding machinery safety.
Putting in place practical processes and procedures to reduce and eliminate the risks and hazards involved can help prevent the likelihood of accidents occurring in the future.
There is also an important need for the education of the workforce and management to generate a safety-first corporate culture.
With an understanding of responsibilities associated with machinery safety, compliance with company policy and statutory obligations can be fulfilled.
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