Key Terms

A device is a mechanism that prevents injury by ensuring that the worker's hands are out of the danger zone when the machine's cycle is active.

Feeding is the process of adding or removing stock from a machine at the point of operation.

A gate is a barrier that must be closed and secured before a machine can begin its cycle.

A guard is a barrier that prevents access to dangerous areas.

An in-running nip point is a hazard caused by rotating machine parts. A nip point can occur in many places. First, and perhaps most obviously, nip points can occur between two parts of machinery which rotate in opposite directions and are in contact or in close proximity. Additionally, they can occur between a rotating part and a tangentially moving piece, or between a rotating part and a fixed piece.

Kickback occurs when a saw blade catches on a piece of stock, throwing the stock back in the direction of the operator.

The lockout/tagout method is a procedure indicating that a machine is being worked on. This can be shown by either locking parts in place to prevent accidental energizing or by placing a highly visible tag on the machine to advise other employees not to activate the machine until the tag is removed.

A pinch point is any area other than the point of operation where clothing, body parts, or other objects can be caught in moving parts.

The point of operation is the area of the machine where work is performed on stock.

A presence-sensing device detects objects in the danger zone when light or radio waves are interrupted, or when an arm or probe cannot extend to its expected length due to an obstruction.

A press is a machine that shears, punches, or forms materials by cutting, shaping, and so forth.

A pullback is a device that withdraws the operator's hands when the machine cycle starts.

Punching is an action that occurs when a powered arm or ram forcefully impacts material.

A push stick is a tool used to move stock through a saw blade without the worker's hands coming in close proximity to the blade.

Reciprocating movement is repeated back-and-forth or up-and-down motion.

A restraint is a device that prevents the operator's hands from entering the danger zone by being attached or tethered to another surface.

A safety guard (or safeguard) is a feature designed to prevent dangerous contact of body parts or other objects with hazardous machinery, or to otherwise minimize the danger associated with a machine part.

A safety trip control is a device that is activated by putting pressure on a sensor due to a shift in body weight or deliberate action, shutting down the machine on contact.

Shearing is a method of trimming material by applying power to a single blade that cuts the material cleanly and evenly.

Stock is the material being worked with in a machine. Stock discussed in this course may include a variety of materials, including wood, metal, and plastic.

Transversing movement is movement in a continuous, straight line.

A two-hand control device requires both hands to operate a machine throughout the cycle.

A two-hand trip device requires both hands to activate a machine.

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