Fun scenario.
You are a controls engineer and you show up on site to finish the install of a robot cell. You walk up to find an operator in the cell running production in manual but they do not have any locks on your equipment. Allowing you to close the fence and start auto operation. What would you do?
Comments (3)
I would immediatly remove the person from the robot cell, then in a non-demeaning way, ask them and try to figure out why they did not follow proper safety protocols (e.g., lockout, signage, or whatever else is needed in that situation). Explain the importance of those protocols and that they could've been injured or killed had someone placed the robot in auto operation without knowing they were in there. After all that, communicate your findings to the supervisor and EHS so that the near miss/unsafe behavior can be documented, a more thorough incident investigation can be conducted (if needed), and corrective actions can be implemented and tracked accordingly.
#1 Get the person out of the machine immediately!
#2 I would lock out the machine until all corrective actions are implemented and managed(PDCA - Plan, Do, Check, Act).
#3 Begin Near Serious Accident Investigation (preferably with a TEAM). Implement Interim Action to ensure employees are safe until final corrective actions are in place (if machine is needed for production). Find out exactly why employee was in machine. Why didn’t management know he was in machine? Adequate Written Procedures and Training in place before incident? Implement Corrective Actions! Audit in the future to make sure Corrective Actions are in place including updates to procedures and training, including management!
Along the same lines as Drew, but mine is more of a Lean Approach.
FUN?
Attended the FACOSH meeting yesterday. They were talking about updated 1910.147 as it relates to computer controlled equipment such as robotics.