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Author: Giovanni Perrucci

Walkable upper coverage: how understand if they are suitable

Ok, now we know that we must respect some specific norms in order to realize overhead accesses.

But … are we sure that our walkable coverage has been realized in a good way?

At this point, what I can do is to make a check on every single element to be aware of this.

Not yet there are some aspects that stand out immediately and that could permit to myself to evaluate immediately the good production of the manufacture.

Let’s try to understand together what these aspects are.

Way of access to the machines: what norms must be respected?

During the study of a safeguard, it is always necessary to consider the areas for the access for eventual maintenances to the machines.

It is obvious that there are different possibilities to permit to an operator to work in a safe way.

To pre-dispose the access in high using platforms or stairs is one of the most used solutions.

But are there also some indications or some rules to be considered in order to make all correctly?

CE Guards: who has to brand them?

We know that a producer is obliged to supply the correct documentation and the correct certifications for the particulars that he sells.

For each producer there is always a production chain, divided on different supplier for each component that has an external origin.

But the final user of the product, both if he is a complete line or if there is only one protective carter, must be sure that all is supplied in conformity with the norms that are in force.

In this supply chain, it is very difficult individuate in the correct way the protagonists that must make available certifications and documents for the final products.

With some practical example we try to clarify the argument.

Safeguards must be CE certified?

Are You sure that Your safeguard has been realized or will be made correctly?

How can we understand if a builder will respect the norms in force both for the study both for the execution of the different elements?

 The only way to do this is to pretend the CE norms marking of the safeguards. But … is it compulsory?

In order to make clear what we have to expect by a builder about the documents, we have a chat wit our consultant for the safety.

Unavoidable devices, what does it means?

An old saying enunciated: “Haste is bad counselor”

A lot of time, in the producing departments, the operators try to elude the safety devices in order to make the process faster at the maximum.

During the study of a safety device (and the safeguards are part of this category) it is always necessary to consider the tendency of the operators to exclude each possible breaking of their work, also if it is made to protect their safety.

The Machine Directive is so much specific on this point and it makes reference to the study of the safety devices in a way that the operators cannot bypass them in a so simple way: this is the concept of ineludibility. In this video You can find some important info about this argument.

Safeguard’s producers: what parameters You have to consider for the choice?

Surely, You already had to make a choice between different suppliers.

It is not so simple because each possibility has its advantages and its disadvantages.

But what is that making the difference between one supplier and another? What must be compulsorily supplied together with the artefact and what, on the contrary, can be considered a surplus to the supply?

In this short video we try to clear a bit the principal characteristics that a supplier must have.

What is a safeguard and when it is compulsory their use?

“Safeguards are only an accessory, they must be cheap and they can be made in such a way” – cit.

This sentence is with us for many years and it seems to be the most common way of thinking in the universe of the builders.

Fortunately, the norms don’t permit us to join this way of thinking and impose to us very precise parameters to be used to study our solutions.

Each safeguard has the necessity to satisfy different requirements to defend the safety of the operators and to avoid at the maximum the risk of accidents.

Fix, movable and interlocking devices. What must be chosen?

It depends on the characteristics of the machine and from the level of criticality deriving from the risks’ analysis.

In the meantime, with this video, we try to understand the differences between the different types.