Guarding

This tail end of the conveyor shows a conveyor in use with a shovel for cleaning spillage and no guards. This is completely unacceptable and you should question the ineffectiveness of the management and the inspection and maintenance scheme.

Fixed plant and machinery such as conveyors Kill 18% of those fatally injured each year in quarries. The provision of guarding for moving machinery has been a legal requirement for over 160 years. This section looks at what is required and the main reasons that guards are damaged or left off.

Guards are physical barriers which prevent access to the danger zone. There are a series of British and European Standards which illustrate ways in which the majority of equipment used in quarries should be guarded. The type of guard to be used will be set out in the health and safety document

Perimeter guards may only be used where it is not practical for fixed guards to be used and where access is required to the dangerous parts. Where these are used the gate must be interlocked. These are sometimes used wrongly in quarries to guard conveyors.

Protective devices do not prevent access to the danger zone but stop movement of the dangerous part before contact is made. Typical examples found in a quarry are trip devices on pedestal drills in work shops, woodworking machines and pull wires on conveyors. Pull wires are not an alternative to fixed guards but additional protection and must extend to the head and tail end and work in which ever direction they are pulled.

All machinery must be capable of being isolated. The isolation point must be clearly marked, a lockable hasp and individual padlocks should be provided. Spare keys should be locked away. A lock off procedure should be set out in the operators rules.

Further information. Appendix 3 of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations give guidance on the requirements for guarding.

Health and Safety suggestion

Why not look at this as part of a safety meeting and then go out and see if all the quarry guards comply?

This pulley drive is unguarded and completely unacceptable. You must not be able to reach dangerous moving parts.

Example of a plate guard on a return roller where there is a nip point on the return belt

Fixed guards have no moving parts and are fastened in a constant position relative to the danger zone. They will need tools to undo the fasteners and remove them. Typical use is on a conveyor head or tail drum.

Where a conveyor changes angle such as is shown in this picture a series of nip points is created. These will draw a person in if they become entangled and could result in a fatal or major injury. These points must be guarded properly to prevent this happening.

Remember you should not be able to reach any moving part for the guard to be effective and they should extend 1m from the nip point.

With well designed conveyor belts can be tracked and lubricated without removing the guards

Guards are frequently forgotten when mobile crushers are moved. Remember everything has to be inspected before it is put into use to ensure the protective devices are in place.

All moving parts require protecting. Do not forget auger feeds.

This guard is not effective because of spillage problems with the conveyor. The conveyor has to be maintained to be safe, and spillage which cause these problems is not acceptable under the regulations.

Defective guard on motor drive with access on both sides.

PTO guards must be effective and maintained. This must include the shaft guard and the guard housing on the tractor and the implement. When plant is hired in to the quarry it must be inspected prior to use for the first time to ensure that all protective devices are fitted and in good order. It must then become part of the Quarry inspection and maintenance scheme.

This reconstruction of a fatal accident shows how using a tool to clean a tail end conveyor will allow contact with the nip point. In this case the person was drawn into the tail end and crushed against the guard. Cleaning and maintenance of conveyors must only be undertaken when the conveyor is properly isolated and the isolator locked with a personal lock and key.

Here a contractor was standing on a conveyor when it started up, causing him to be dragged under the load out chutes, and into the head drum of the conveyor. Luckily a colleague pulled him off the conveyor. He sustained serious injuries and was unable to work as a welder again. Both the quarry company and the contractor were prosecuted for not having an adequate lock off system. This illustrates the importance of co-ordinating the work being undertaken at quarries so that all persons are aware of the site rules and procedures and are properly inducted.

The fitters were restitching this conveyor when it started up. They thought that the conveyor had been isolated. However, when an electrician was working on the panel the conveyor was started. Investigation showed that the feed to the conveyor bypassed the control panel that was locked off. After isolating and before work is commenced the circuit must be checked to see if the equipment will start.

The fitters were restitching this conveyor when it started up. They thought that the conveyor had been isolated. However, when an electrician was working on the panel the conveyor was started. Investigation showed that the feed to the conveyor bypassed the control panel that was locked off. After isolating and before work is commenced the circuit must be checked to see if the equipment will start.

All isolation points should be clearly labelled showing which parts of the plant they isolate

This plank was used to stand on while carrying out maintenance. It had been left under the plant for a number of years. When the person stood on it, it broke and he fell on to the concrete standing severely injuring his back