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FAQ of the Day Question: Why should machine guard interlocks be "tamper resistant"? Answer: Safety professionals recognize that, in many factories, workers often override or bypass safeguards intended to protect them from injury. Reported motivation includes real or perceived inconvenience, production incentives, familiarity with the equipment, or simply the challenge presented by the presence of the safeguard to be defeated. Consequently, manufacturers are increasingly recognizing the need for, and their obligation to provide, safety interlocks which are not easily defeated/bypassed by the operator or maintenance personnel. Additionally, safety standards-making groups encourage use of interlocks which are not easily defeated using simple, readily-available means (such as a paper clip, tape, rubber band, piece of rope, screwdriver, et.). For example, the American National Standards Institute's (ANSI) B11.19 1990, Reference Standard for Safeguarding Machine Tools specifically requires:
With the growing number of product liability cases, companies are recognizing the benefits of designing safety circuits with interlock devices that have been tested and certified for use in safety applications by a recognized, independent third-party agency. Manufacturers are encouraged to surpass safety design expectations. As cited at a recent DESIGN NEWS seminar entitled "Product Liability - A Survival Kit for the 90's", jurors expect companies to go beyond mere compliance. They give greater benefit to firms who have designed their products with the latest state-of-the-art machine guarding safety devices. SCHMERSAL offers its articles, product releases and Newletters in electronic format. You can view and print the documents using Adobe's Acrobat Reader. If you don't have this free plug-in you can download it on Adobe's website. |
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