The global leader in conveyor safety equipment, Martin Engineering, is disputing the idea that putting conveyor equipment out of reach of workers, also known as ‘Guarding by location’ a safe practice. They have noted incidents where this practise has led to lapse in workplace safety. It’s mostly accepted that when equipment like conveyor belts are positioned beyond the normal reach of the workers, they do not require a safety guard. This concept has multiple flaws. Usually under this concept the equipment is placed at a level higher than the average worker’s height but this fails in case of taller staff. Working under the equipment has the risk of spillage accidents.
These and many such loopholes are why the company is advocating for standardising guarding mesh size, height and distance from equipment to ensure complete safety of working staff and ease of access for maintenance staff.