Note: A shorter version of this article was published in the May-2012 edition of Manufacturing Automation Magazine. When designing safeguarding systems for machines, one of the basic building blocks is the movable guard. Movable guards can be doors, panels, gates or other physical barriers that can be opened without using tools. Every one of these guards…
Read MoreHow to become Instantly Incompetent
Many engineers and designers fall into a really simple trap, one that makes them instantly incompetent. These are not stupid people. They have the qualifications, so what is it that can catch someone out this badly? It’s called ‘complacency’. Complacency is that state we all get into from time to time where we feel like we know what’s going…
Read MoreWhy I wear a Poppy on 11-Nov
In a recent article in the Independent, Robert Fisk writes that the poppy has become nothing more than a fashion statement in the UK. Merely a way to show that you are British, or to score points with the boss, or to make a political statement. He believes that wearing a poppy on 11-Nov mocks our war dead. He says…
Read MoreIRRST Injection Moulding Machine Safety Checklists
Plastic injection moulding machines are one of the most dangerous machines in widespread use in industry. The Institut de recherché Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail, is one of Canada’s leading research centers in occupational health and safety. I would highly recommend the checklist to anyone dealing with these machines. Note that ANSI B151.1…
Read MoreThe Problem with Probability
Risk Factors When risk is analyzed, at least in the industrial sector, we usually follow a process defined in ISO 12100. This approach defines two broad parameters, severity and probability, and then further subdivides probability into sub-parameters that are helpful for analyzing machinery hazards. This post explores the difficulty with assessing the probability parameter. If you’re interested…
Read MoreUpdates to Popular Articles
We’ve recently updated a couple of our popular articles! Check them out! Busting Emergency Stop Myths Reader Question: Multiple E‑Stops and Resets
Reader Question: Multiple E‑Stops and Resets
I had an interesting question come in from a reader today that is relevant to many situations: “When you have multiple E‑Stop buttons I have often gotten into an argument that says you can have a reset beside each one. I was taught that you were required to have a single point of reset. Who is correct?” — Michael Barb,…
Read MoreUnderstanding the Hierarchy of Controls
(Eds. note: This article was originally written in 2011 and was updated in Nov. 2018.) The “Hierarchy of Controls” is one approach to risk reduction that has become entrenched in the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) sector. There are other approaches to risk reduction which are equally effective but are less rigidly structured. If you…
Read MoreUnderstanding Risk Assessment
When people discuss ‘Risk’ there are a lot of different assumptions made about what that means. For me, the study of risk and risk assessment techniques started in 1995. As a technologist and controls designer, I had to somehow wrap my head around the whole concept in ways I’d never considered. If you’re trying to figure out risk…
New Seminar – Product Compliance in Europe – CE Marking Requirements
If you do business in the European Union, you know that CE marking products for sale in the EU and EEC countries is required. These requirements change as the legislation and standards are updated, making the CE Marking task a challenging one. Compliance InSight Consulting has partnered with GlobalNorm GmbH and the Canadian German Chamber of…
Read More