The procedures for selection of appropriate measures to ensure the required risk reduction in the case of use of woodworking machines is similar to that of all the machines, and therefore the rules concerning these activities specified in EN-ISO 12100:2010 shall apply. The standard referred to describes actions to reduce the risks, taken in the strictly defined sequence at the machine manufacturing stage and then during its use. At the machine operation stage these are the following actions:
- use of additional engineering control measures (after the machine is installed at the work station),
- taking organisational actions (procedural measures)
- use of personal protective equipment,
- on-the-job training and informing operators of the occupational risks and the rules of protection against hazards (e.g. in job instructions, process instructions, etc.).
Engineering measures to be undertaken are not listed here directly with respected to the operated machine, because additional engineering control measures are usually understood to be the engineering measures taken by the user on the work station. These measures result from the legislation, risk assessment or are listed by the machine manufacturer in the machine user’s manual, and they can include connection of the woodworking machine to install the exhaust system removing chips and dust, the use of additional screens, lighting, signs, etc.
Please remember that the operated machines are subject to verification of conformity with safety requirements of the Regulation of the Minister of Economy on the minimum requirements concerning the occupational safety and health while using machines at work. (Journal of Laws No 191, item 1596, as amended) and other requirements of Polish regulations applicable to these machines, and in particular to the Regulation of the Minister of Economy of 14 April 2000 on occupational safety and health when operating woodworking machines. (Journal of Laws 2000 No 36, item 409).
If any nonconformity is found and the associated risks necessitating measures to be taken in order to reduce the risks, solutions shall be applied which do not result in a modification of the machine, and thus out of the solutions in the safety triad in particular engineering control measures shall be applied which, as part of adaptation following the initial inspection must be supplemented or repaired, and as part of periodic inspections – checked and repaired, as needed.
Engineering control measures are complemented by organisational measures, including in particular information provided in machine user’s manuals, the job instructions and training, particularly on-the-job training, which should cover not only the rules for safe operation of the machine during normal working, but all maintenance activities carried out by the operator, such as
- setting of guards and adjustment of other adjustable machine components (tables, guides, T-squares, etc.)
- appropriate setting of adjustable machining parameters (cutting speed, feed rate, depth of cut)
- replacement of cutter tools,
- protection of the machine against accidental activation,
- procedures for cleaning and maintenance within the scope operator’s duties,
- the use of interchangeable equipment, a demountable power feed, fixtures, table extensions, etc.,
- the use of auxiliary equipment – manual pushers and pressure pads,
- procedure for usual and unusual machine operation modes,
- checking the function of machine components which are essential for safety.
As a result, the user of a woodworking machines can use the following:
- the table for selection of safety measures developed for all machines based on the regulations on general occupational safety and health and the minimum requirements concerning the occupational safety and health while using machines at work, and
- the table for selection of safety measures developed in accordance with the regulation on occupational safety and health when operating woodworking machines,
Selection of safety measures for operated woodworking machines is made on the basis of identified nonconformities against regulatory requirements specified in the descriptive section, and the user can choose the most appropriate of the safety measures proposed in the tables for selection of safety measures. After the selection and use of the measures, the user can assess the risk in order to ensure that the measures taken are sufficient, especially if any of the requirements listed in one of the tables is not met directly.