Although adding a guard to a machine seems like an easy finishing touch, it can prove to be more difficult than originally thought. Taking the time to fabricate a guard can pull a person away from their own system development, or from their main projects. Many companies consider outsourcing their physical guard manufacturing for the following reasons:
1. Trust the Experts
Any safety guard needs to be installed adhering to current OSHA machine guarding standards. Fabricating a guard may be the easy part of the process, but being sure the guard meets OSHA requirements when installed can be more challenging than initially expected.
2. Cost Analysis Overview
Outsourcing guards to a company that specializes in this work can often be a better use of your resources. When compared to specifying and purchasing material, designing and fabricating the guards, and the time it takes to fabricate a visually appealing guard, in-house fabrication may not be cost effective.
3. Time Analysis Overview
Partnering with a company that has a wide selection of in-stock and readily available guarding solutions can save you time. Keep your workforce on task with their primary job duties as opposed to spending time fabricating, designing, and researching guarding solutions.
In this installation, the wooden box on the left was an in-house fabrication to protect workers from the rotating shaft. This guard created another hazard as it blocked an emergency exit. The image on the right shows the fitted shaft cover designed by Machine Guard that covers the entire rotating assembly, leaving the emergency exit easily accessible.