If you operate machinery in your facility, you know the importance of ensuring the safety of your workers. One way to do this is by implementing risk reduction measures, which are designed to reduce the likelihood and severity of accidents and injuries caused by the machinery. But what are risk reduction measures and how are they used in machinery safety standards?
Let’s explore!
What are Risk Reduction Measures?
Risk reduction measures are controls that are implemented to reduce the likelihood and severity of accidents and injuries caused by the machinery. These measures can include the use of guards, interlocks, and other safety devices, as well as procedures and training to ensure that the machinery is used safely.
Some Relevant ISO and B11 Standards
The ISO and B11 standards are two of the most widely recognized machinery safety standards that address risk reduction measures. The ISO standard, ISO 12100, Safety of machinery – General principles for design – Risk assessment and risk reduction, specifies the general principles for the design of machinery and outlines the process for risk assessment and risk reduction. The B11 standard, B11.19, Safety of Machinery – Human Body Access to Machinery – Principles for Design, provides guidelines for the design of machinery to prevent injuries caused by unexpected start-ups or restarts of the machinery.
Why are Risk Reduction Measures Important in Machinery Safety?
Risk reduction measures are important in machinery safety because they help to reduce the likelihood and severity of accidents and injuries caused by the machinery. By implementing appropriate risk reduction measures, you can help to ensure that your workers are protected from the hazards associated with moving machinery, such as crushing, shearing, and amputation.
Acceptable Risk
It is not always possible to completely eliminate the risk of accidents and injuries in machinery applications. Therefore, it is important to determine an acceptable level of risk, which is the level of risk that is deemed acceptable given the benefits of the machinery and the controls in place to mitigate the risk. The process of determining acceptable risk involves evaluating the likelihood and severity of potential hazards and implementing the appropriate controls to reduce the risk to an acceptable level.
How to Implement Risk Reduction Measures
There are several steps involved in implementing risk reduction measures, including:
✅ Identifying the potential hazards associated with the machinery. This can include hazards related to the operation of the machinery, such as moving parts, as well as hazards related to maintenance or repair of the machinery.
✅ Evaluating the likelihood and severity of the identified hazards. This can involve considering factors such as the likelihood of the hazard occurring, the potential consequences of the hazard, and the likelihood of controls being in place to prevent or mitigate the hazard.
✅ Determining an acceptable level of risk for the identified hazards. This involves evaluating the benefits of the machinery and the controls in place to determine the level of risk that is deemed acceptable.
✅ Implementing the appropriate controls to reduce the risk to an acceptable level. This can include the use of guards, interlocks, and other safety devices, as well as procedures and training to ensure that the machinery is used safely.
✅ Reviewing the risk reduction measures periodically to ensure that they are effective and up to date.
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Safety interlocks providing safety to personnel entering safeguarded spaces
