Mechanized processes form the foundation of the modern world—we rely on machines to prepare our food, build our homes, and clothe our bodies. But a machine is not a replacement for a person, and it will keep doing what we’ve designed it to do as long as it has power, even when it’s dangerous to do so.
This is why machines still require human operators, and it’s also why machines pose a danger to people. Even something as simple as a conveyor belt can become deadly if we fail to respect its mechanical power. Read on to discover what essential safety guidelines you should follow around conveyor equipment.
What Makes a Conveyor Belt Dangerous?
Conveyor belts are ubiquitous; they’re a part of nearly every industry in the world. We even see them at the grocery store when we check out. When something is common, it’s easy to forget that it can still pose a danger to us.
Industrial conveyor belts have a lot more complexity to them than the ones you see at the airport baggage claim. More complexity means more moving parts, making it easy to snag a lock of hair, a stray lanyard, or even a finger or two. Industrial belting systems are also made out of tougher stuff, providing more mechanical force on objects that get caught.
Essential Safety Guidelines
This is where safety protocols come in. Both governments and individual businesses recognize the dangers of conveyor belts, so they provide safety regulations intended to prevent accidents. Here’s an overview of some of the most common precautions—but remember to always check your local laws and company procedures for the final say.
No Sitting, Walking, or Standing on Belts
This rule should be common sense; if injuries occur when human bodies come into contact with conveyor belts, then people should keep their bodies away from them. This means absolutely no sitting, standing, or walking on conveyor systems, even if those machines are powered off.
Conveyor belts are not pieces of furniture—they are powerful tools that do a lot of heavy lifting in the industrial world. Even when they’re not running, they have sharp edges, pinch points, and small holes, making it easy to injure yourself.
Don’t be tempted to sit or stand on them during repairs either, since you could hurt yourself of damage the machine. Hopefully, it goes without saying that no horseplay should ever be allowed in an industrial setting.
Keep Loose Items Secured at All Times
Even if you follow the rules and keep your limbs away from conveyor belts, there are still other dangers. Sometimes it’s not so easy to control what you’re wearing, like jewelry, belts, or a lanyard. When working near conveyor belts, it’s vital that you don’t wear anything that could get caught. This includes keeping long hair secured out of your face and away from machinery.
While conveyor belts are dangerous to people, there are other reasons to keep loose items secured around them. A necklace falling into the gears of a conveyor belt could snag on the pulleys and cause major damage to the machine. Every time production has to stop for repairs, the business loses money, not to mention the cost of replacing parts and hiring a repairman.
Loose objects falling off your person can also contaminate whatever the belt is carrying. If it’s some kind of food, beverage, medicine, or sterile equipment, entire batches could be lost. It might not bother you to lose a few pieces of hair, but where they fall could be a problem.
No Unauthorized Personnel
Once a company has trained its employees on how to conduct themselves around dangerous equipment, it’s essential that no one else enters the area without supervision. A well-meaning employee from another department might not understand why close proximity to a machine is dangerous. Additionally, they might not have their loose items secured.
Install Conveyor Guards
To prevent injuries around conveyor systems, always install guards, cages, and other protective shields. These devices provide an extra barrier between people’s bodies, clothing, and dangerous machines. They also keep anyone from messing with power sources and controls. Here are some of the most common types:
- Ladder guards
- Return idler baskets
- Service and inspection doors
- Flange bearing guards
- Drive guards
- Flat guards
- Barrier guards
Increase Emergency Stop Visibility
Every conveyor belt system should have an emergency stop button. If an emergency happens and someone gets stuck in a machine, or something falls into the inner workings, another employee can push the button and shut the entire belt down.
For the button to be most effective, it needs to be in a spot that’s easy to access. It should also be highly visible. When an emergency happens, some people get tunnel vision and need more help identifying emergency tools. Brightly-colored signage helps ensure that everyone can find the emergency stop button quickly.
Use the Right Kind of Belt
Apart from following essential safety guidelines around conveyor equipment, there are other things you can do to prevent accidents. One of those is to make sure you’re using the right kind of belt for the job.
For example, there are many things that can go wrong if you don’t use a food-grade belt with food products. Not only will you be at risk for an FDA violation, but there’s also a significant chance your belts won’t be able to handle the grease, oil, and sticky residues that food often produces. You’ll end up having trouble keeping your belts clean, which may cause them to break down faster.
Using a flat belt without compartments for loose objects is another example of conveyor belt mismatch. Without some way to hold objects in place, they may roll or slide off the conveyor belt. If the objects are heavy, you run the risk of injured employees.
Texas Belting and Supply can help you find the right belt for your conveyor needs. We carry several hundred types of belts with all kinds of sizes, materials, and special coatings. This includes incline conveyor belts with special texturing designed to carry loose, free-flowing materials like sand, gravel, and grain. Call or email us today to make sure you’re using the best conveyor belt for the job.
