Worker safety is one of the key considerations in modern industrial settings. Conveyor belts can lead to serious injuries or death in severe cases. It is your duty as an employer to ensure that your workers are safe at all times by equipping your conveyor systems with the right conveyor guarding. This will improve the performance of the employees as they can carry out their jobs without worrying about possible accidents in the workplace. If you have just installed a conveyor system in your premises, here is what you will use to tell good conveyor guards from the bad ones:
Suitability of the Guard
One thing that tells a good conveyor guard from a bad one is its ability to stand up to the challenges of the work environment. Regular replacement of the guard due to chemical corrosion or physical damage is an indication that the guard cannot match the demands of the workplace. On that note, you should always try to match the material of the guard with the environment where you will use it. For example, if the guards are exposed to corrosive chemicals, they should be made from chemically inert materials. These materials include copper, stainless steel and zinc.
Ergonomic Implications
Ergonomics refers to the level of someone's efficiency in the environment where he or she works. Since guards are an important part of conveyor belts and systems, they have a direct influence on the output of the conveyors and the employees as well. A well-designed conveyor guard should be light enough so that it can be easily shifted from one place to another as needed. One person should be able to install, remove and fit them into place with little effort and thought.
Strength of the Guard
A good conveyor guard should be strong enough to stand up to the normal operations of the workplace. For instance, it should be able to support the weight of an employee leaning or supporting themselves on the guard. Provided the guard can support the normal operations of the workplace, don't modify it to withstand severe failure and catastrophe. The changes might affect its fundamental working principles.
Recognisable
A good guard should be recognisable from the rest of the system. These should be coated or painted already or at least be made of a material that can be painted or coated by you. This helps ensure employees pay close attention to the guarding and the system.
Share10 April 2017
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