Feature Machine Safety Identifying dangers
An analysis of the operation of a machine will identify movements which constitute elements of a hazard. These are the elements which could simply be expressed as constituting ‘clear and present danger’ to the operator. Seb Strutt, safety specialist, SICK, explains
W
here moving machinery and operating personnel are con- cerned, there is no room for complacency once a danger
has been identified. We have one of the most comprehensive safety regimes in the world due to successive machinery safety legislation and asso- ciated technical standards in the EU. However, that doesn’t mean we can sit back and assume all is right.
competent person, is the distance from the hazard point to the safety device and its orientation relative to the hazard. However, the precision required for complex safe distance calculations and the need for accuracy in estimating the safe stop time of the hazardous move- ment, is vital to achieving compliance.
Compliance with confidence Manufacturer derived safety distance calculation tools and stop time measure- ment services can remove the uncer- tainty from the required measurements, and establish the exact distances needed for compliance. By taking advantage of these, or using measurement services, the engineer can gain peace of mind and reduce the risk of accident.
Safeguard positioning
The introduction of BS EN ISO 13855:2010 ‘Safety of machinery - positioning of safeguards with respect to the approach speeds of parts of the human body’, highlighted how machinery operators might put their safety at risk, without knowing it. Thus, it is vital that machine design- ers ensure a protective measure can react in time. Incorrect positioning of the safety device is one of the most common reasons for compliance fail- ure. SICK has observed this on count- less occasions during initial safety inspections, yet the provisions and implementation are simple and com- pliance can easily be achieved. The standard BS EN ISO 13855:2010 is an excellent step forward, and fills an important gap in the previous standard. What must be accurately measured, by a
Identifying the minimum safe dis- tance measurement is critical. And, to help achieve this, SICK offer its cus- tomers a stop time calculation service prior to and following installation of new safety measures.
BS EN ISO 13855 applies to safety light curtains as well as to other preventative measures such as pres- sure sensitive mats and two hand control systems.
The standard is intended to ensure accessible hazards with mechanical movement are protected by an electro- sensitive protective device (ESPE). This device can detect an approach to the hazard and initiate a stop com- mand which brings the mechanical motion to a safe condition before the operative can reach the hazard.
Distance calculations
A good example is a typical hand fed machine press. In the event that work is misplaced, a common operator response is to try and grab the item
Right: a typical set-up with a vertical light curtain, where the safety distance is shown as S
Left: the reach over safety distance calculation is new to the standard
SICK is offering a free Safety Distance Calculator. Just e-mail
info@sick.co.uk
during the down stroke of the press. The operator’s hand speed could easily reach two metres a second. If the protective light curtain is posi- tioned too close to the press a hand could reach the hazardous zone before the press can react to the cur- tain’s stop command - the conse- quences could be devastating. For a vertical light curtain, the safety distance (safety reach through or Srt) is calculated from the speed of approach (K) multiplied by total response time of the machine (T) plus a constant (C) dependent on the specification of the light curtain, Srt = (K*T) + C. With a full body access detection multiple beam light guard (typically three or four beams), the equation becomes, Srt = (K * T) + 850mm. When using multiple beams, the minimum safety distance should be greater than 850mm to accommodate the arm length when reaching through the light beam grid.
Hazardous reaching over The completely new element of the 2010 standards tackled the problem of operatives reaching over light curtains. The height of the hazard from ground level, when reaching from a standing position, is a major deciding factor in the height of the top beam of the light curtain. The reach over safety distance (Sro) is calculated by adding a specially mea- sured constant (Cro) into the equation, Sro = (K*T) + Cro - (see diagram left). Cro is derived from the table
below. Areas of the table marked ‘0’ show where the hazard cannot be accessed by overreaching. This means a hazard height of 800mm, with the upper edge of the light cur- tain detection zone at 1,600mm, cannot be accessed by overreaching. If the standard Srt safety distance is also calculated for the set-up, the resul- tant safety distance adopted should be whichever is greater - Srt or Sro. The results can be attached to the machine under scrutiny, as an immediate guide to its safe operation and safety status.
SICK
www.sick.co.uk T: 01727 831 121
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Enter 223 JUNE 2013 Machine Safety
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