| Hazard type | Identify crushing, shearing, cutting, entanglement, impact, ejection, or hot-surface hazards. | Use a rigid perimeter guard with panels selected for the specific hazard and expected energy. | The guard should prevent access to hazardous areas and be suitable for the foreseeable conditions of use. | Machine guarding must protect operators and other employees from point-of-operation and other machine hazards. | Complete a documented task-based risk assessment and hazard inventory. |
| Access frequency | Determine whether access is never required, occasional, or frequent for production, setup, cleaning, or maintenance. | Use fixed panels for infrequent access and guarded doors or gates where routine access is necessary. | The choice of fixed or movable guarding should reflect the need for access and the risk associated with that access. | The guard must prevent employee access to the danger zone during operation. | Review normal and abnormal tasks, including jams and adjustments. |
| Fixed or movable guard | Assess whether the guard must be removed for access or can remain permanently installed. | Select fixed guards when access is unnecessary; use movable guards with appropriate control measures when access is required. | Fixed guards should require tools for removal; movable guards should be designed according to their access and risk conditions. | Guards must be secured and must not create an additional hazard. | Check removal method, fasteners, hinges, latches, and access-control arrangements. |
| Guard height and reach | Measure the hazard location, required clearance, nearby platforms, and possible reaching paths. | Set panel height and distance from the hazard using the applicable reach and safety-distance assessment; do not select height by appearance alone. | Safety distances and openings should prevent persons from reaching the danger zone through, over, under, or around the guard. | The guard must prevent hands, arms, or other body parts from reaching moving parts or the point of operation. | Measure openings and reach distances; consider access from all sides and elevated work positions. |
| Mesh or opening size | Evaluate the smallest opening that could permit a person or body part to reach the hazard. | Choose mesh or panel openings together with the required separation distance; smaller openings do not automatically replace distance assessment. | Openings and distances should be selected to prevent access to hazardous zones, considering foreseeable misuse. | The guard must be designed and constructed so employees cannot reach the danger zone. | Use a calibrated opening gauge and document the measured opening and separation distance. |
| Impact and ejected-material resistance | Determine whether the machine can eject tools, workpieces, fragments, chips, or other materials. | Use panels, posts, fixings, and support spacing rated or tested for the foreseeable impact load; add solid panels where containment is needed. | Guard construction should withstand expected impacts and loads without creating a new hazard. | The guarding arrangement must protect employees from hazards generated by the machine operation. | Review machine energy, material properties, worst-case ejection path, and panel deflection. |
| Gate and door control | Identify every access gate and determine whether hazardous motion can continue after opening. | Use an interlocked gate where access is required during the machine lifecycle; consider guard locking when hazardous motion persists after access. | Movable guards should be designed so opening or removal does not expose people to unacceptable risk. | The guard must protect employees during operation; control-system measures may be needed where opening creates access to moving hazards. | Test opening, restart prevention, stopping time, and access to residual energy. |
| Bypassing and defeat resistance | Consider foreseeable attempts to climb, reach around, remove, defeat, or bypass the fence. | Use tamper-resistant fasteners where justified, controlled key access, coded devices, protected switches, and layouts that discourage bypassing. | Guard design should minimize opportunities for circumvention and should not be easily defeated. | Guards must be secured and must not be easily bypassed or rendered ineffective during use. | Perform a documented defeat-and-misuse review during commissioning and periodic inspections. |
| Visibility and operator awareness | Determine whether operators need to observe the process, indicator lights, tooling, or material flow. | Use transparent or open-panel sections only when they maintain the required safety distance and containment performance. | Guard design should support visibility where necessary without reducing protective performance. | The guard must protect employees while allowing safe operation and necessary observation. | Check sight lines, glare, lighting, and whether visibility encourages unsafe access. |
| Cleaning and maintenance | Identify cleaning points, lubrication locations, tooling changes, inspection tasks, and lockout/tagout requirements. | Provide controlled access, removable sections requiring tools, maintenance gates, and adequate working clearance. | Guards should remain effective during foreseeable maintenance and should not introduce ergonomic or other hazards. | Employees must be protected from machine hazards; hazardous energy-control procedures apply when servicing requires exposure. | Validate the maintenance procedure, isolation points, access route, and post-maintenance guard restoration. |
| Floor, foundation, and layout | Check floor condition, anchor locations, aisles, emergency routes, conveyors, utilities, and nearby equipment. | Use stable posts, suitable anchors, protected cable routing, and a layout that prevents access around the fence ends. | The guard should be stable, durable, securely fixed, and suitable for its installation environment. | Guards must be securely attached and must not create hazards such as sharp edges or obstructed access. | Inspect anchor torque, fence stability, clearances, walkways, and end-of-fence gaps. |
| Materials and environment | Evaluate corrosion, moisture, chemicals, temperature, washdown, ultraviolet exposure, dust, and static-electricity concerns. | Specify materials, coatings, fasteners, and transparent panels compatible with the environment and cleaning method. | Construction materials should retain protective performance throughout the expected service conditions. | The guard must remain effective and must not introduce additional hazards under workplace conditions. | Review material data, chemical compatibility, corrosion condition, and inspection intervals. |
| Emergency access and escape | Determine whether personnel could become trapped inside the guarded area and whether emergency egress is required. | Provide appropriately located emergency exits, escape releases, or internal reset arrangements where the risk assessment requires them. | Guarding should account for foreseeable use, access, and the possibility of persons entering the protected area. | The safeguarding arrangement must not expose employees to additional hazards or prevent safe response to an emergency. | Conduct a walk-in and entrapment assessment for every accessible guarded zone. |
| Signage and instructions | Identify residual risks, restricted access, required PPE, lockout/tagout points, and emergency procedures. | Install durable warning labels and operating instructions where residual risks remain after guarding. | Information and markings should support safe use but should not be relied upon as a substitute for a guard. | Employees must be protected by physical safeguarding; warnings supplement, rather than replace, effective guarding. | Verify label visibility, language suitability, durability, and consistency with procedures. |
| Inspection and lifecycle maintenance | Define inspection frequency based on use, impact exposure, environmental conditions, and modification history. | Create an inspection checklist covering panels, posts, anchors, gates, interlocks, labels, and unauthorized modifications. | The guard should remain effective, durable, and maintainable throughout its intended life. | Guards must remain in place and effective while the machine is in use. | Record inspection results, corrective actions, functional tests, and change-control reviews. |
