Safety Knights

Grinder Guarding

In about 1985 I received my first and only MiOSHA Citation for having a bench rest set more than 1/8” from an abrasive grinding wheel. I do not remember the result of that citation, but I do know for the next 25 years I fought with Tool & Die, Tool & Cutter, Maintenance, and Manufacturing Supervisors and their Employees over the need to comply with keeping the work-rest (or bench-rest) and tongue guard ser properly.

29 CFR 1910.215(a)(4)
29 CFR 1910.215(b)(9)

Finally, I got smart and did the following:

1. Made a card like you can see in the picture. Re-produce the card by shrinking the ,jpeg to the size you want in Power Point. Laminate each card and attach in a prominent place on each grinder.
2. Purchase Bench Rest and Tongue Guard Gauges, have gauges made by your Toolroom (see picture) or buy 1/8” and 1/4” Allen Wrenches. Attach one set of “gauges” on each grinder.
3. Purchase wrenches the size of the adjustment nuts on each grinder, and attach them to each grinder too.

The last step is a harder. You got to get everyone trained on the requirements of Machine Guarding, including those that pertain to Abrasive Wheels. Include the inspection of grinders on the Supervisor’s Weekly Safety Inspections. Supervisors were held accountable for the guarding on their machines.

A couple years later I had a Corporate EHS Audit, which I hated more than an OSHA visit! I got a complement in the audit that all 20 grinders on our floor were adjusted properly.

I tried the same system with ring-testing wheels (29 CFR 1910.215(d)(1). I had some success, but was always suspicious when I saw the logs they were supposed to use for each ring-test were seldom had any entries. When I asked why I was told they had not changed any wheels. Right!

If you can improve the system be my guest.

PS If you want my image shoot me an email.