Machine Guarding

I know there are those who remove guards from Headers and other machines due to fire risk. If you are going to do this, you need to establish a ‘safe operating procedure’ that includes that potential practice. It would also be beneficial for the whole industry if you would report your issue to the manufacturer because they should be doing something about it!

• If you’ve made your own guards for say…the auger hopper, make sure you can’t fit a hand through the mesh.
• Technically, the square mesh openings cannot be more than 100mm (10 cm) in diameter, but we then need to think about grain flow especially with legumes.
• Personally, I’d rather we have a rule of 12cm like Canada, but 10cm is the rule at the moment for Australia.

I offer more detailed assistance to my members and clients

Resources:

• Machinery Guarding – Information Sheet – Farmsafe
• Farm Workshop Safety Guide – Farmsafe
• Farm Machinery Guarding Guide – Farmsafe
• Guarding Grain Augers Guide – Farmsafe
• Grain Augers – Industry Safety – Worksafe VIC
• Angle Grinders – Safework SA