MECHANICAL

SAFETY
Introduction
Mechanical Industries –
Branch of engineering concerned with the design, manufacture,
installation, and operation of engines, machines, and manufacturing
processes. It deals with
1. textile machinery 6. machine
2. printing machinery tools 7.motor
3. packaging machines vehicles
4. agricultural machinery 8.HVAC
5. metal working 9. Welding and many other machines
machines and processes essential to an
industry.
What makes mechanical equipment dangerous?
Forces and Mechanical Movement
It is because of the Mechanical Movement and Forces.
Static Force
If a support is not strong enough for an object with increasing weights, it might
collapse suddenly.
Dynamic Force
The magnitude of some dynamic forces are constant but most of them
change due to acceleration and deceleration. You should not enter the
area covered by the mechanical movement of the equipment.
Pressure
If the safety valve for a pressure vessel e.g. the storage tank of an air
compressor, is not working, the pressure will build up to a point it suddenly
cause the tank to explode.
Cutting Forces
In the operation of machine tools, forces arising from cutting are
unavoidable. You should know before the operation the direction of these
forces in order to clamp your job in a proper manner. Incorrect operation of
the machine tools will cause abnormal behaviour of the machine tool and
unusual forces to damage it or cause injury to the operator.

Torque
Machine tools operation involves with a lot of rotation of the cutting tools or
the workplaces. The centrifugal forces of a suddenly broken grinding wheel
while in operation cause the broken pieces to fly out in various directions.
The torque in drilling may rotate the job and the clamping device if it is not
securely bolted onto the machine table.
Vibration
Mechanical vibration is undesirable. It is harmful to the health of the
equipment as it may loosening some joints, create additional stresses or
induce fatigue. Resonance is evenly more damaging as the amplitude of
vibration explodes to a very large scale, causing the collapse of the
equipment. If there is unusual vibration or noise caused by the mechanical
movement, you should immediately stop the running of it and find out the
cause.
NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THEM!
Movement of a machine can be dangerous
You have to understand what kind of Forces and Mechanical
Movement you will be involved with while operating the
equipment.
To this you need to understand the basic working principles of the equipment or
the proper machining processes associated with that particular machine.
Hazard
Hazard
Source, situation, or act
with a potential for harm in
terms of human injury or ill
health or a combination of
these
General Mechanical Hazards include –
 Tripping
 Falling objects
 Cutting/abrasion
 Pinch points
 Elevated work surfaces
 Bump hazards
 Noise
 Slipping and many more…

Situational Awareness – The best way to prevent an accident is to

be aware of your surroundings
Hazards associated with components and tools
Moving components and tools
Relative location of moving components and
tools In-running nips (rollers, conveyors, etc.)
Inadequate strength
Hazardous shapes (cutting, pointed, rough, etc.)

Grinding abrasive
wheels
The main hazards are

 Bench-style and pedestal grinders create

special safety problems due to the
potential of the abrasive wheel shattering
 exposed rotating wheel, flange, and
 spindle end
 a naturally occurring nip point that is created
by the tool/work rest.
Material handling
– Crane, Gantry, Hydra, Fork Lift, chain
pulleys
Electrical hazards
Live conductors
Live machine components
Electrostatic hazards
Thermal hazards
Objects or materials at extreme temperatures (high or low)
Presence of flame or explosion
Presence of water and molten
metal Radiation from sources of
heat
Cold or hot work environment, etc.

Noise &Vibration
Working of engines and
drives Working of
machineries Movement of
vehicles Burners of boilers,
kiln Ventilators
DG Sets
CPP
 Hazards produced by materials, products,
contaminants Hazardous materials (harmful, toxic,
corrosive, reactive, humid, teratogenic, carcinogenic,
mutagenic or irritating) Infectious materials and
combustible/flammable, oxidizing or explosive
materials, etc.

Welding, gas cutting

– Compressed gas cylinder
The main hazards are
 fire caused by heat, sparks, molten metal or
direct contact with the flame
explosion when cutting up or repairing
tanks or drums which contain or may have
contained flammable materials;
fire/explosion caused by gas leaks,
backfires and flashbacks
fumes created during flame cutting
fire/burns resulting from misuse of oxygen
burns from contact with the flame or
hot metal
crushing or impact injuries when handling
and transporting cylinders
Eye and skin irritation due to radiation
Radiations
Low frequency, radio frequency, microwave, X-
ray and gamma radiation,
Laser/infrared, visible and ultraviolet light, etc.

Hazards produced by non-respect of ergonomic

principles
Non neutral posture, force, repetition,
absence of micro-breaks, frequent handling
Difficult access to the working space, layout of premises,
Inadequate lighting, Inadequate visibility, poor location of
controls etc.
Risk
Risk
Combination of the likelihood
of an occurrence of a
hazardous event or exposure
(s) and the severity of injury or
ill health that can be caused
by the event or exposure (s)
Control
Controls including Legal requirements
1. Elimination
2. Substitution
3. Engineering Control
4. Administrative Control
5. PPE
Controls on Moving components
1. Elimination
Designing of Machines
2. Substitution
Replace process/technology
3. Engineering Control
Designing Machine Guard
4. Administrative Control
Warnings, work methods
5. PPE
Protective Clothing
In every factory the following, namely :-
I. every moving part of a prime-mover and every flywheel connected to a prime-
mover, whether the prime-mover or flywheel is in the engine- house or not;
II. the headrace and tailrace of every water-wheel and water- turbine;
III. any part of a stock bar which projects beyond the head stock of a lathe; and
IV. unless they are in such position or of such construction as to be safe to
every person employed in the factory as they would be if they were
securely fenced, the following, namely:-
every part of an electric generator, a motor or rotary convertor;
every part of transmission machinery; and
every dangerous part of any other machinery;
shall be securely fenced by safeguards of a substantial construction
which [shall be constantly maintained and kept in position] while the parts
of machinery they are fencing are in motion or in use:
Dangerous moving parts require
safeguarding in three basic areas :
The point of operation: that point where
work is performed on the material, such as
cutting, shaping, boring, or forming of stock.
Power transmission apparatus: all
components of the mechanical system
which transmit energy to the part of the
machine performing the work. These
components include flywheels, pulleys,
belts, connecting rods, couplings, cams,
spindles, chains, cranks, and gears.
Other moving parts: all parts of the
machine which move while the machine
is working.These can include reciprocating,
rotating, and transverse moving parts, as well
as feed mechanisms and auxiliary parts of the
machine.
Plan Your Guard

Is the danger zone, which is located above, accessible from below?

Is the danger zone accessible from above the guard?
Is the danger zone accessible through one of the openings in the
guard? Is the danger zone accessible from below the guard?
There are two types of guards

Fixed guards:
fixed enclosing guard
fixed distance guard
fixed nip guard
Movable guards:
interlocking guard
interlocking guard with guard
locking power-operated
automatic closing
 Fixed enclosing Fixed distance guard
guard
Fixed guards
A fixed guard (permanent protector) is a guard that can only be removed with
the assistance of a tool or that is set in place permanently, for instance by
being welded Note. – Depending on its shape, the guard can be called a
housing, cover, door, screen or cabinet.
Fixed guards be chosen in the following order of priority
1.Guards enclosing each danger zone if
the number of danger zones is small.
2. Single enclosure guard for all the
danger zones if the number or
dimensions of these zones are large.
3.Multiple distance guards, if the use
of one enclosure guard is impossible
and if the number of danger zones is
small
(each guard protects one part of the
Fixed nip machine).
guard
4. Single distance guard, if the use of an enclosure guard is
impossible and if the number or the dimension of the danger zones is
large.
ERGONOMICS IN THE WORKPLACE
Occupational Safety & Health Administration

The first is designing for a range (the smallest to the largest, usually from
the 5th percentile to the 95th percentile).
The second is designing for the extremes (the smallest or the
largest, usually for the 5th percentile or the 95th percentile), such as
the design of the doorpost height for the largest person's stature
(plus ample clearance) or the design of a shelf for the smallest
person's functional reach.
The third is designing for an average.
Safety Precautions: General Machine Shop
1. Be sure that all machine’s have effective and properly working guards that are
always in place where machine’s are operating.
2. Replace guards immediately after any repair.
3. Don’t attempt to oil, clean, adjust or repair any machine while it is running, stop
the machine and lock the power switch in the off position.
4. Don’t operate any machine unless authorized, to do so by the supervisors or
under his supervision.
5. Always see that work and cutting tools on any machine are clamped
securely before starting.
6. Don’t operate machinery when the instructor is not in the workshop.
7. When working with another worker only one should operate machine or
switches.
8. Don’t rest against the machine.
Safety Precautions: Grinding Wheel Safety
1. Select correct wheel for your operation.
2. Ring wheel and inspect for cracks. Never use cracked wheel.
3. Never exceed maximum safe speed established for wheel. Be sure
machine
speed is not excessive.
4. Never alter hole in wheel or force wheel on spindle.
5. Use clean, recessed, matching flanges at least 1/3 wheel diameter.
6. Use one clean, smooth blotter on each side of wheel under each flange.
7. Tighten nut only enough to hold wheel firmly.
8. Adjust wheel guard and put on safety glasses before starting wheel.
9. Adjust dust hood and coolant nozzle (for wet grinding). Keep work rest
adjusted within 1/8” of wheel face (periphery).
10. Stand aside and allow wheel to run idle a full minute before
starting to grind.
 11. Dress wheel if out of true.
12. Make grinding contact without bumping or impact.
13. Grind only on face of straight wheel. Use disc wheels for side-grinding. Light
side-grinding permissible on cup or saucer wheel.
14. Never force grinding so that motor slows noticeably or work gets hot.
15. Protect wheel when not in use. Store safely if removed from grinding
machine.

Ring Test
Safety Precautions: Welding and Cutting
1. move the work piece to a safe location for carrying out hot work
2. remove nearby combustible materials (such as flammable liquids, wood,
paper,
textiles, packaging or plastics)
3. protect nearby combustible materials that cannot be moved. Use
suitable guards or covers such as metal sheeting, mineral fibre boards
or fire-retardant blankets
4. check that there are no combustible materials hidden behind walls or in
partitions, particularly if the welding or cutting will go on for some time.
(some wall panels contain flammable insulation materials, eg
polystyrene)
5. use flame-resistant sheets or covers to prevent hot particles passing
through
openings in floors and walls (doorways, windows, cable runs, etc)
6. Use the correct lighting-up procedure. Purge the hoses before lighting
the torch to remove any potentially explosive gas mixtures. Use a spark
igniter and light the gas quickly after turning it on
7. Make sure the blowpipe is fitted with spring-loaded non-return valves
8. Use the correct gas pressures and nozzle size for the job
9. never use oxygen to blow dust off clothing
10. never attempt to improve air quality inside confined spaces by releasing
oxygen
in the space
11. never allow oil or grease to come into contact with oxygen valves or
cylinder fittings
12. Maintain the equipment in good condition
13. close the cylinder valves when the equipment is not in use
14. always provide adequate ventilation during welding and cutting operations
15. store gas cylinders outside whenever possible, or in a well-ventilated place
16. avoid taking gas cylinders into poorly ventilated rooms or confined spaces
17. keep fire extinguishers nearby
Clothing and Safety Equipment:
1. Always wear safety glasses, or face shields designed for the type of
the work operating any machine
2. Wear safety shoes if heavy work is being done.
3. Wear clothing suited for the job, wear shoes with thick soles.
4. Don’t wear rings, watches, bracelets or other jewellery that could get could
get caught in moving machinery.
5. Don’t wear neck ties or loose turn clothing of any kind.
6. Wear shirts or uppers with sleeves cut off or rolled above the elbows.
7. Always remove, gloves before turning on or operating a machine. If
material is rough and sharp then gloves must be work place or handle
material with machine turned off.
House Keeping:
1.Keeping floor free of oil, grease or any other liquid. Clean up spilled liquid
immediately they are sleeping hazards.
2.Aisles should be clear, at all time to avoid tripping of other accident.
3.Store materials in such a way that they cannot become tripping
hazards. 4.Don’t leave tools or work on the table of a machine even if the
machine in
not turning. Tools or work may fall off and cause the fact of injury.
5.Put tools always when not in
use. 6.Place the scrap box.

Beware of the heat generated in machining.

Beware of the radiation generated and the possible toxic gases created
during the operation of laser materials processing.
Signage
THANK YOU