Employer Responsibilities

Employers are responsible for selecting work equipment, assessing that equipment, and determining which safeguards are appropriate. The employer must then also implement these measures. In addition, the company is liable for creating and implementing a comprehensive safety training program for all employees. This program must cover all equipment used on the job, proper usage, potential hazards, safeguards implemented, and so forth. The training must also be available in the primary language of employees to ensure their understanding and comprehension as it pertains to equipment, usage, and hazards. OSHA recommends that the following information be covered with regard to hazards and safeguards:

• A description and identification of the hazards associated with particular machines
• The safeguards themselves, how they provide protection, and the hazards for which they are intended
• How to use the safeguards and why
• How and under what circumstances safeguards can be removed, and by whom (in most cases, by repair or maintenance personnel only)
• What to do (for example, contact the supervisor) if a safeguard is damaged, missing, or no longer provides adequate protection

To learn more about Machine Guarding visit our Machine Guarding Safety Online Training web page.