OSHA Safety Practices for Machine Shops

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has a mandate to provide guidance and set standards to protect workers from illness or injury in the workplace. Safety practices in a machine shop begin with a hazard analysis. The analysis results indicate areas where safety improvements are needed. OSHA recommends three ways to improve safety -- engineering controls, administrative controls and use of personal protective equipment (PPE).

Hazard Analysis

A hazard analysis focuses on job tasks. It identifies risks through observations of the interaction between the worker, job, environment and tools. Once hazards are identified, management puts controls in place to prevent, reduce or eliminate them. The benefits of a comprehensive hazard analysis are improved safety, lower costs and increased productivity.

Engineering Controls

Engineering controls are physical changes and improvements made to the worksite. In a machine shop, these include machine guards, enclosures, hazard isolation and ventilation. Every machine tool in a machine shop has guards to prevent amputations or crushing injuries. Guards include restraint devices that ensure the operator's hands are clear. Photoelectric sensors can be used to interrupt machine operation if the operator is too close. Two-hand controls require the operator to have both hands out of harm's way for the machine to operate. Enclosures around a machine prevent exposure to flying debris and excessive noise. Hazard isolation includes blast shields, welding curtains and storing hazardous materials away from workers. Proper ventilation removes hazardous fumes and dust from the workplace.

Administrative Controls

Administrative controls include written procedures, exposure monitoring, alarms and training. Written procedures provide a reference for proper actions and safety practices in the workplace. Procedures include proper job performance, machine operations, actions taken during an emergency, protective equipment, maintenance and inspection criteria. Exposure monitoring includes area monitoring and personal monitoring. Area monitors are placed near a potential hazard, such as a chemical release or heavy metal exposure, and record exposure levels over time. Personal monitoring includes periodic medical exams to determine exposure levels. Alarms can be used to indicate excessive exposure or other emergencies, such as fire or explosion. Training is the tool that ties all safety practices together. All workers and managers are required to be trained on engineering and administrative controls and PPE. Employers should conduct both classroom and on-the-job training.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

PPE in a machine shop includes eye and face protection, hearing protection, gloves, ergonomic hand tools and respirators. Eye and face protection is a common safety practice in any workplace where flying debris is present. In a machine shop, safety glasses or goggles provide additional eye protection even when machine guards are used. Welders often wear face shields with dark lenses to protect them from sparks and bright light. Hearing protection is required when noise levels exceed 85 decibels. Exposure to loud noise can cause long-term hearing loss. Gloves reduce vibration hazards. Ergonomic hand tools reduce worker fatigue. Respirators are generally not needed in a machine shop, but they can be used in lieu of an effective ventilation system.

References

• Occupational Safety and Health Administration: Publication 3071, Job Hazard Analysis: 2002
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration: Publication 3170, Safeguarding Equipment and Protecting Employees From Amputations: 2007
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration: Metalworking Fluids; Safety and Health Best Practices Manual