Cutting Systems Sheeter safety, everyone’s responsibility
Leading designer and manufacturer, Maxson Automatic Machinery Company shares its best working practises when operating sheeters
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afe operation of equipment, be it a sheeter or a drill press, is everybody’s responsibility. The equipment
manufacturer is responsible for providing a machine that meets or exceeds local safety standards. Excellent safety history results from informed and alert personnel, liberally endowed with common sense. The most important factor in accident prevention, however, is having safe working practices. These procedures are possible only when every job is preformed properly. To accomplish this, each person working on equipment must be thoroughly familiar with that equipment and well trained in their operation, maintenance or supervisory functions. The following “Do’s” and “Don’ts” are general rules that apply to any equipment that converts rolls to sheets. Different sheeter manufacturers may have specific warnings. l Do be sure employees are familiar with their company’s safety rules and proper machinery care of specific equipment. Every Company personnel manual should have a Safety section. The best source of equipment instructions should be the machine’s operating manual. l Do be certain crew members are aware of all sheeter operations that benefit from heightened safety concerns. An equipment manufacturer’s field service personnel can point out such areas. On an ongoing basis, regular safety meetings serve as a forum for initiating new crew operators. Do use appropriate protective apparatus. Hearing protection is required in the United States when noise levels exceed 80 decibels for more than 30 minutes. Steel toe shoes and safety glasses should also be strongly considered.
Do encourage the reporting of missing or inoperative safety devices to Management. A routine safety audit of the sheeter, to coincide with a knife change, should document the status of such devices. Prompt corrective action then needs to be taken. l Do report bare electrical wiring, exposed electrical circuits or opened electrical cabinets. Such conditions not only represent safety hazards but can also lead to equipment malfunctions.
l Do keep the floor, aisles and overhead areas around the sheeter clear of hoses or wires and free of debris or spills. A clear line of vision for fork truck Operators reduces associated accidents. Oil puddles lead to slips, hoses and cables lead to trips. Good housekeeping results in a well maintained machine and a better finished product as well as a safer environment. l Do make sure injuries are reported and receive prompt medical treatment. As a part of company policy, if the injury requires a trip to the emergency room, consider having a drug test administered as standard procedure. Any lost time accident involving the sheeter should be immediately reported to the equipment manufacturer. l Do be alert and use common sense in operating sheeting equipment. Horse play in the work area is unacceptable. The operator should be aware of the location of crew members prior to initiating any sequence on the sheeter, such as a roll change, making a skid change or clearing a jam up. l Do disconnect and lock out the main drive before working on the machine. As a part of maintenance procedure, equipment manufacturers require a sheeter be locked out. Failure to follow this policy can expose the operator’s company to liabilities and governmental investigation. l Do be careful when handling cross cutting knives and slitter blades, which can cause severe injury. l Don’t remove or override safety devices. Disabled limit switches and guards removed from position are the most common safety violations. Injuries sustained because of such intentional action by the operator and not addressed by management leads to exposure of the company, not the equipment manufacturer. l Don’t wear jewellery, loose clothing,
or long hair near moving equipment. Necklaces, watches, oversized rings, ties, shirt tails or cuffs, and free-hanging hair are all examples of items that can be caught in moving parts of equipment with adverse results. Secure or remove any personal items that can be caught in the machine. l Don’t start a machine unless there is no danger to fellow workers. The operator should visually note the position of any crew members and call out “All Clear?” prior to starting or resuming operation of a sheeter – particularly after roll changes, jam ups or skid changes. l Don’t clean or lubricate moving parts of a machine while it is running. These habits are another leading cause of accidents. Follow the appropriate lock out procedure to avoid injury. l Don’t place tools or hardware on a machine that is running. Tools that fall into a sheeter can injure people and damage the machine. l Don’t climb or crawl over machinery that is running. Never enter the machine area under rotating knife cylinders. l Don’t attempt to retrieve any object advancing into the sheeter with the web. Remove all trim and waste only during a safety lock out condition. l Don’t leave the sheeter unattended when it is under power or a “live” condition. Equipment should not be run without an Operator within reach of an emergency stop. Don’t permit unauthorised personnel to operate the machinery. Sheeter operators should be trained by experienced personnel who understand machine controls and have demonstrated a commitment to safety. In conclusion, safety is everybody’s responsibility, from hourly employee, to senior management. It begins with a commitment by management to make it a priority in the work place. Given that commitment, the cooperation of both supervisor and operator is required to ensure a safe work environment. By making safety a performance objective, the end result is fewer lost time accidents, lower operating costs, and improved employee morale.
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maxsonautomatic.com
26
April 2021
convertermag.com
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