The supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008 contain detailed requirements for the...
DESIGN, Manufacture & Supply
...of safe new machinery to the UK.
We also need to work within the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER). These regulations are here to protect all staff.
As always you will need to a risk assessment to highlight any risks and hazards and ensure compliance. This provides information for a risk evaluation in which a decision is made on the safety of the machinery, so that risks can be reduced where necessary to a reasonable practical level using the hierarchy of risk control.
The first step is to identify anything that has the potential to cause harm. Secondly, an assessment must be made of the likelihood of the person coming into contact with these hazards and how much injury this could cause.
The stages are:
- The likelihood of a person coming into contact with a hazard.
- The degree of possible harm that could be caused.
- The frequency of exposure.
- The number of people at risk at the same time.
Control measure can then be applied:
- Design the hazard out.
- Remove the need for man machine interface.
- Design in safeguards.
- Reduce the possibility of occurrence.
- Reduce the degree of harm.
- Warn and inform other machine operators.
Once the control measures have been implemented there needs to be another assessment actioned to ensure that the adequate level of safety has been achieved.
PUWER stipulate that regular documented inspections must be carried out.
The first step is to identify anything that has the potential to cause harm. Secondly, an assessment must be made of the likelihood of the person coming into contact with these hazards and how much injury this could cause.
You must also take into consideration the fire aspect of all machinery. This can include:
- Integrated fire alarm.
- Suppression systems.
- Fire detection systems.
- Training must also be a huge part of the plant and machinery documentation.
- Has there been an induction session carried out and documented?
- Do the staff need regular refresher training?
- Is there a responsible person that gets updates?
- How is the training carried out and when?
- Who monitors the training updates?
- Is the correct PPE supplied?
- How is the training and use of PPE monitored?
