Aggregates Manager Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/689568
ROCKLAW • 36 ROCKLAW Slide Sledge_AGRM0616_PG.indd 1 5/10/16 2:34 PM Thompson Bros. Coal Co., Inc., 6 FMSHRC 2094, 2097 (September 1984). A reasonable possibility requires consideration of all "relevant exposure and injury vari- ables, e.g., accessibility of the machine parts, work ar- eas, ingress and egress, work duties, and as noted, the vagaries of human conduct[.]" Id. Each situation where a guard may be required is different, and the approaches of FMSHRC and MSHA recognize this. Although MSHA issues extensive guidance concerning guarding, it cannot possibly address every conceivable situation that may require a guard using the scenarios that it discusses and pictures that it presents. As a result, understanding the basics of the guarding requirements is the best way to comply with §§ 56/57.14107 and MSHA's other guarding standards. MSHA accepts three types of guarding: guarding by location, area guarding, and point of contact guarding. Guarding by location is the simplest of the three options as it requires that a machine part be located 7 feet from the closest walking or working surface or any surface that may support such activities. Area guarding requires operators to prohibit contact to an entire area using a variety of redundant safeguards. Area guarding begins with a locked door, gate, or barrier. The key to the lock should not be easy to access. Oper- ators should train miners about the meaning, use, and identification of area guards, and only designated, trained miners should be permitted to access area guards. Guards should be easy to recognize through the use of signage and systems such as color coding. An area that requires frequent access or is controlled by multiple power sources is usually inappropriate to guard with area guarding. Point of contact guarding refers to guards that guard individual, or an individual group of, moving machine parts. Point of contact guards should completely block access to a moving machine part with no gaps or sepa- rations. A miner should not be able to contact machine parts by reaching through or behind a guard. Guards should be secure and tight and reinstalled promptly and properly after maintenance. MSHA proposes the instal- lation of extended grease and lubrication lines as a best practice. Any point of contact guard that is not secured, is easily moved, or has a gap large enough to allow con- tact violates the standard.