Eng-Tips is the largest engineering community on the Internet

Intelligent Work Forums for Engineering Professionals

  • Congratulations waross on being selected by the Tek-Tips community for having the most helpful posts in the forums last week. Way to Go!

Minimum distance to prevent trapping fingers/hands

Status
Not open for further replies.

ethanhunt118

Mechanical
Jan 26, 2012
18
0
0
GB
HI All,

DO we have a regulation or standard govering the minimum distance between the geared wheel and the skip surface to prevent any trapping hazards ?

thank you
 
Replies continue below

Recommended for you

About 10 feet!! If someone can put a hand somewhere to get it cut off - THEY WILL!!

Check OSHA - but something like 3'-4' seems about reasonable or simply guard it!!
 
What is the "skip surface"? If you mean the metal surface behind the wheel, the 3" sounds reasonable and I doubt it's covered by OSHA. If you mean the clearance to moving machinery (like the rack), it may require a guard rather than minimum clearance.
 
Should we try to calculate whether the geared wheel will buckle under finger-load? Just trying to get a handle on what the structural engineering aspect of this is.

 
If the structural design of something is wrong, it leads to safety hazard. This is a geared wheel used to open a shutter to pour concrete. Never had an issue with it until recently some feedbacks came that there may be a trapping hazard or its too close to the skip. I am referring to the closest part of the skip to the bottom of the wheel. I know it sounds stupid, it is just a matter of taking care while operating it BUT on site if there is something wrong and someone get his fingers trapped, every health and safety organisation will come after and asked to what regulations or recommendations has this wheel been fitted. So that's why i want to know if there is something stated somewhere BSI/ OSHA about trapping fingers.
 
I would think so.
Try here: OSHA link

I understand that if a structural design is wrong people get hurt. I don't understand why pinched fingers is a structural design issue and belongs in this forum. Just my thought.

 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top