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Machine Guarding
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UK employers and anyone else who owns, controls or operates work equipment is responsible for making sure the machinery is safe to use and equipped with machine guarding designed in accordance with applicable standards. We’ve put together this guide on machine guarding standards in the UK to help anyone who needs an understanding of machine safety remain compliant:
If you’re an employer, business owner, site manager or someone who’s responsible for safety equipment on site, you have the legal responsibility under PUWER to provide effective safety measures compliant with applicable standards for machine guarding to prevent injuries/accidents from dangerous machine parts.
Other individuals with interest in standards for machine guarding can be health and safety officers, duty holders and maintenance managers who’re tasked with carrying out regular checks and must be familiar with these standards to keep records for inspections and maintenance.
PUWER (the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998) is a piece of legislation that requires employers and everyone else who controls or is responsible for work equipment to make sure it’s suitable for its intended purpose, safe to use and operated by adequately trained staff. One of the main PUWER requirements includes the usage of effective safety measures.
PUWER covers any piece of equipment or installation used in a workplace, including:
Hand tools
Power tools
Machinery
Vehicles
Lifting equipment
The machine guarding standards in the UK you need to refer to to make sure your machinery meets safety requirements include certain BS EN ISO documents (formal technical standards published by the British Standards Institution) and HSE guidance publications:
BS EN ISO 12100 outlines the foundation of what is considered to make a machine ‘safe’ including core principles for design, identifying hazards, machine risk assessment and what protective measures should be applied throughout the machine’s lifecycle.
BS EN ISO 14120 is the main British standard for machine guarding and it defines how machine guards (the physical barriers that prevent workers from being injured) should be designed and constructed as well as how they should be attached to the machines/interlocked for safety.
The BS EN ISO 13857 document covers machine guarding safety distances, meaning it outlines how barriers should be placed at the right distance so workers can’t reach over them or through them to touch moving/dangerous parts.
The HSE Guidance HSG129 provides guidance and practical advice on how to comply with PUWER by assessing, maintaining and properly using machinery in the workplace. It’s helpful for understanding your legal responsibilities as it translates them into clear and actionable steps you can take as an employer/supervisor to ensure compliance.
Click here to download a free PDF of the HSE Guidance HSG129.
As outlined in the BS EN ISO 13857 standard, machine guarding safety distances depend on multiple factors e.g. opening size and the specific danger zone:
The size of opening in the guard will directly relate to the needed distance with smaller openings allowing guards to be placed closer to the risk zone
The height of the hazard determines at what horizontal distance and height the fence will need to be placed to prevent employees from reaching over
The approach speed (K) with which a person can move towards a risk zone is taken into account
The time it takes for a machine’s safety system to react and stop is key for calculating the safety distance (S = K*(t1+t2) + C).
For detailed guidance, feel free to refer to the BS EN ISO 13857 safety standard.
The ‘golden rule’ of machine guarding is: ‘If it’s moving, it needs guarding’. It stresses that any moving machinery parts must be properly guarded as they can otherwise harm workers.
A nip point (or a pinch point) in the context of machine guarding refers to a dangerous spot where two parts, at least one of which is moving, converge together and create risk of crushing, shearing, etc. Machine guarding for nip points exists in the form of fixed guards, distance guards, light curtains and more, including proper training and safe procedures for operating the machine.
PUWER doesn’t specify a certain frequency for inspecting machine guards, instead the frequency should be determined by your risk assessment. Consider how often a machine is used, the conditions under which it’s used and the probability of a guard becoming displaced or ineffective.
As a general rule, it’s good practice to inspect machine guards at least before first usage, after relocation/modifications and at regular intervals so you’re able to address any potential issues promptly.
Accessafe supplies high-quality machine guarding products across the UK compliant with all relevant machine guarding standards. Our solutions include machine guarding panels, machine guarding doors, machine guarding posts and more.
To learn more, take a look at our dedicated machine guarding page or get in touch with our team on 0121 348 7420 and we’ll be happy to advise you and answer any questions!
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