Hierarchy of Controls for Workplace Safety

Hierarchy of Controls for Workplace Safety

Identifying and mitigating exposures to occupational hazards before work begins is the objective of all safety and health professionals. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) offers a basic outline to improve workplace safety through its interpretation of the Hierarchy of Controls. The hierarchy starts with the controls perceived to be most effective …

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Michigan Safety Conference

2020 Michigan Safety Conference

Update: The 2020 Michigan Safety Conference has been cancelled. The Michigan Safety Conference is a volunteer organization dedicated to promoting the improvement of workplace safety and health practices in the State of Michigan. It provides participants with quality workplace health and safety education through an annual conference that attracts one of the highest attendance ratings, …

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OSHA’s Top 10 Most Cited Violations for 2019

OSHA’s Top 10 Most Cited Violations for 2019

The National Safety Council has prepared a detailed article on OSHA’s Top 10 most-cited violations for fiscal year 2019. Machine guarding violations remain in the top ten most-cited violations with 1,987 violations. The number of overall violations increased 2% from 2018. Serious violations also increased marginally 1,737 from 1,710. OSHA defines a “serious violation” as …

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Installing a Coupling Cover

Installing a Coupling Cover

Despite the inherent hazard of motor couplings, Machine Guard & Cover Co. finds many couplings improperly guarded or completely unguarded during site visits. Couplings are both exposed shafts and grab points that present hazards to anybody with loose clothing, hair or laces. In most cases where an attempt at guarding has been made, a piece …

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Top 10 Most Frequently Cited OSHA Standards of 2018

Top 10 Most Frequently Cited OSHA Standards of 2018

The National Safety Council has prepared a detailed article on OSHA’s Top 10 most-cited violations for fiscal year 2018. Machine Guarding violations remain in the Top 10 most-cited violations with 1,969 violations. This is a decrease from the 2,109 violations in 2017. Of the 1,969 machine guarding violations, 1,710 (87%) were listed as “Serious”. OSHA …

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Installation of Turbine Shaft Guarding at Hydroelectric Dam

Turbine Shaft Guarding at Hydroelectric Dam

When designing turbine shaft guarding for hydroelectric dams, there are numerous challenges of size, space and simplicity that must be addressed. Although these aren’t exactly new challenges for Machine Guard & Cover Company, since we regularly work in environments where floor space is at a premium, some projects can still be daunting. We were approached …

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Top 10 Most Frequently Cited Standards of 2017

OSHA’s Top 10 The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has released its report for the Top 10 Most Frequently Cited Standards for Fiscal Year 2017. Remaining in the Top 10 at number 8 is Machinery and Machine Guarding. Safety+Health Magazine A detailed breakdown of the top five citations for each of the Top 10 …

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Plastic Mesh Coupling Cover

Plastic Mesh Coupling Cover

This water treatment facility had a cast pump housing with a coupling that required guarding. The shape of the housing and the constant rotation of the coupling provided an opportunity to use perforated plastic mesh as a guarding material. The plastic mesh was used as a template for locating the mounting points on the cast …

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Composite Guarding System for Fan Belt

Composite Guarding System for Fan Belt

The fan provides necessary cooling and ventilation for the new shop floor of Machine Guard & Cover Company. Unfortunately, the exposed fan blades and belt and pulley system create an unsafe work environment. Proper guarding will be required to maintain the guard functionality without impeding shop floor safety. At any shop, floor space is at …

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