Missing Machine Guard: What Should You Do?
This quiz helps you decide what to do when a missing machine guard is found or a machine guard needs repair, so you act safely and by the rules. Learn the right first steps, then build habits with quick practice in lockout, checks, and PPE. For more context, explore our loto quiz, try a control of hazardous energy quiz, and review operating machinery while wearing gloves.
Study Outcomes
- Identify Machine Safeguarding Requirements -
Understand the core standards for machine safeguarding requirements by selecting the measures that protect workers from mechanical hazards.
- Recognize Damaged Guards -
Spot signs of worn or damaged guards and evaluate their impact on equipment safety to prevent workplace injuries.
- Determine Actions for Missing Guards -
Learn that if a machine guard is missing, you should stop operations, initiate a lockout procedure, and report the hazard to ensure immediate corrective action.
- Apply Machine Guarding Best Practices -
Implement practical machine guarding strategies to secure moving parts and maintain compliance with regulatory safety requirements.
- Analyze Quiz Scenarios -
Examine various quiz scenarios to test your ability to spot missing or damaged guards and to identify procedural errors.
- Reinforce Workplace Safety Awareness -
Strengthen your understanding of key safety protocols to foster a culture of vigilance and hazard prevention around machinery.
Cheat Sheet
- OSHA's General Guarding Standard (29 CFR 1910.212) -
This rule mandates fixed, interlocked, adjustable and self-adjusting guards to block all points of operation, nip points, rotating parts and flying chips. For example, a fixed guard must be removed only with a tool (no quick release), while an interlocked guard stops the machine when opened. Use the mnemonic "F.A.S.I." (Fixed, Adjustable, Self-adjusting, Interlocked) to recall the four guard types.
- Damaged Guards - Recognize and Respond -
Inspect guards daily and tag out any damaged guards immediately; operating with compromised protection increases exposure to hazards. According to ANSI B11.19, even minor deformations can reduce the barrier's strength and effectiveness. Keep a simple checklist (aligned with manufacturer's specs) to ensure every guard is intact before each shift.
- If a Machine Guard Is Missing You Should… -
Never bypass or improvise a guard; stop the machine, follow lockout/tagout procedures (LOTO per OSHA 29 CFR 1910.147) and report the missing guard to your supervisor. Attempting to operate without a guard can lead to severe injury or amputation. Remember the phrase "Stop, Lock, Report" to keep the correct order in mind.
- Risk Assessment & Hazard Analysis -
Use ANSI B11.19 and IEC 62061 frameworks to evaluate Risk = Severity × Exposure × Probability (S×E×P). A quick mnemonic "SEP" helps you rate hazards in terms of how bad an injury could be, how often it happens and how likely it is to occur. Document your findings in a standardized worksheet to guide guard selection and placement.
- The Following Are All Machine Safeguarding Requirements Except… -
Understand that not everything is mandated; for instance, requiring guards to be painted a specific color (like red) is not a safeguarding requirement. True requirements include guarding point-of-operation, not introducing new hazards, allowing safe maintenance access and ensuring reliability. Think "color is a red herring" to remember this exception.