Machine Guarding Systems
Machine Guarding Systems for Safer Production Floors
Machine guarding systems are protective barriers designed to shield employees from hazardous machine motion and points of operation. Common applications include rotating parts, ingoing nip points, reciprocating or traversing motion, and areas where chips or sparks are generated. Proper guarding prevents accidental contact while maintaining visibility and access for normal operation and maintenance.
Unprotected machinery can cause severe injuries, including crushed hands, amputations, burns, and eye damage, resulting in downtime and increased workers' compensation costs. OSHA machine guarding standards require safeguarding any machine part or process that could cause injury to protect operators and nearby personnel.
Each machine has its own unique mechanical and non-mechanical hazards, ranging from minor abrasions, burns, and cuts to severe fractures, lacerations, crushing injuries, or amputation. By controlling mechanical hazards and debris, machine guarding reduces preventable injuries and production disruptions while supporting OSHA compliance and long-term operational reliability.
Selecting the Right Type:
♦ Hazard type: choose machine guards and guard rails for point-of-operation and equipment protection, or bollards and corner guards for personnel and structural protection.
♦ Application: dock and warehouse areas suit safety gates and barricades, while production floors suit modular guardrail and rack protection systems.
♦ Visibility and awareness: add safety floor tape or a collision awareness sensor system to reinforce physical barriers with visual and audible warnings.
Where Commonly Used:
♦ Manufacturing Floors, machine guards, and guard rails protect operators from point-of-operation hazards.
♦ Warehouses and Distribution Centers, dock safety gates and floor-mounted barriers control access and protect racking.
♦ Loading Docks, swivel and barricade gates manage safe access during loading and unloading.
♦ High-Traffic Forklift Areas, bollards, corner guards, and collision awareness systems reduce impact risk between equipment and structures.
CustomMHS carries the full line of machine guarding products from Handle-It, MECO, Jesco, Vestil, Mighty Line, and Save-Ty, backed by each manufacturer's warranty.
| It guards your machinery and protects your employees. Each piece of machinery has its own unique mechanical and non-mechanical hazards. Machines can cause a variety of injuries ranging from minor abrasions, burns, or cuts to severe injuries such as fractures, lacerations, crushing injuries, or even amputation. Machine guards are your first line of defense against injuries caused by machine operation. Each machine must have adequate safeguards to protect operators and other employees in the immediate work area from hazards created by ingoing nip points, rotating parts, sparks, and flying debris. |
Buying Guides
Compare capacities, materials, and configurations before you buy. Expert buying guides for industrial shelving, racking, pallets, lockers, and more. View All →
Handle-It Build-A-Rail Guard Rails
Handle-It Build-A-Rail modular guard rail system with bolt-together sections, bases, and connectors for flexible impact protection. View All →
Handle-It Corner Column Protectors
Handle-It Corner Column Protectors shield rack uprights and columns from impact, with a high-visibility yellow powder-coated finish. View All →
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Handle-It Floor Mounted Steel Barriers
Handle-It floor-mounted steel barriers protect racks, equipment, and pedestrians with rugged, high-visibility industrial protection. View All →
Handle-it Guard Rail Options
Handle-it Guard Rail Options View All →
Handle-It Heavy Duty Guard Rail Columns for Industrial Guardrail Systems
Handle-It heavy-duty guard rail columns for industrial guardrail systems. Single rail (18" high) and double rail (43" high). Standard, corner, and offset configurations. 4-3/4" x 4-3/4" steel post with base plate. Six models. Authorize View All →
Handle-It Heavy Duty Guard Railing
Handle-It heavy duty guard railing components. Steel rails, 12" tall. Nine lengths: 2' to 10'. Sold individually for custom guardrail layouts. Pair with Handle-It guard rail columns to build complete barrier runs. Authorized distributor. View All →
Handle-It Pallet Rack End Protectors
Handle-It pallet rack end protectors absorb forklift impact at aisle ends, with standard, medium, and heavy-duty options available. View All →
Handle-It Shallow Post Protectors
Handle-It shallow post protectors provide low-profile, space-saving protection for rack uprights and columns in narrow aisles. View All →
Handle-It Space Saving End of Aisle Rack Protectors
Handle-It Space Saving End of Aisle Rack Protectors - Compact, Durable Protection for Tight Warehouse Aisles View All →
Handle-It Steel Post Protectors
Handle-It steel post protectors shield rack uprights, shelving, and columns from impact, with a high-visibility powder-coat finish. View All →
Handle-It Surface Mount Steel Bollards
Handle-It surface-mount steel bollards protect corners, doors, racks, and equipment from forklift impacts with a heavy-duty baseplate. View All →