We must not interfere with the guards on live equipment –it is both foolish and dangerous to do so, and this is a legal breach.

1. Health, Safety and Environment
Weekly Safety Review 13 SIMS awaiting
First Aid Recordable
Managers Comments
No. injuries ytd 12 1
Injury rate ytd 2.51 0.36
No. days worked since 168 Injury
Issue Date : 22 / 11 / 2011 last OSHA recordable (30/5/11) Performance
INJURY
No. days worked since 168
Guards last RIDDOR injury (30/5/11)
FREE
WEEK
2
The key legislation identifying the need for guards is the Provision and
Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER). The Regulations require
risks to people’s health and safety, from equipment that they use at
work, to be prevented or controlled. One of the “Hardware” measures
identified is provision of suitable guards.
When equipment is designed or installed a Risk Assessment is carried
out to identify guards that are required to allow the equipment to be
operated safely. These guards must not be removed, modified or
changed in any way, unless the Modification process MP 1601 is
followed.
1 - If guards are removed for maintenance (with Isolations in place
recorded on a Work Control Permit) then a key phase of the work is the
robust refitting of those guards before handback of the task or removal
of isolations and re-starting the machine
2 – If the shift teams (operators) want to remove guards on isolated
equipment then the minimum requirement is having a full written risk
assessment in place signed and reviewed by the shift manager
3 - The rules and controls for working adjacent to unfenced or
unguarded running equipment are in MP 8522 – if this work is carried out
then a full written risk assessment must be in place signed and reviewed
by a senior manager
Guards are ineffective if they are ….. Missing, Damaged or Unsecure
In 2010 we recorded 12 occasions in SIMS where guards were removed
or left unsecure, and in 2011 YTD we have identified 6 more issues.
Machinery safeguarding requirements are identified in MP 8317.
Last week a number of damaged / insecure guards were again found.
Inspections carried out the previous week had identified these guards
were present and secure, and no isolation permits had been issued for
the equipment.
We must not interfere with the guards on live equipment – it is both
foolish and dangerous to do so, and this is a legal breach.

2. Risk
Personal consequences – Injury to you or your colleague / Disciplinary
procedure / HSE take action against the individual / If your actions or
inactions contribute or are directly responsible for your injury, then this
may affect or invalidate any claim you may have for compensation.
Company consequences – Injured staff or contractors / Prohibition by
the HSE causing plant to shut down / Prosecution by HSE & fines
Simple end message – Don’t remove or
interfere with guards unless appropriate controls
are in place.