All businesses want employees to work in an efficient manner, but nobody wants their employees to work in an unsafe manner. Safety must be taken seriously at all times in the workplace, especially when working around potentially dangerous equipment such as beveling tools. Here are a few ways to make sure that your beveling tools are being used as safely as possible.
Proper Training – Over the years, studies have shown improper training to be one of the largest causes of industrial accidents. While beveling equipment has been designed with safety in mind, it is possible for poorly-trained operators to hurt themselves, and others, if they don’t take proper precautions. This ranges from inability to properly align and control a portable beveler to attempting to realign material in a stationary beveler while it’s still in operation.
Don’t just assume everyone knows how to use the equipment, or just hand them the manual and tell them to read it. Even automated beveling operations still have a bit of an art form to them. Train all your personnel and observe them in action. Periodic retraining is also useful to keep skills sharp.
Established Safety Protocol – Whether you are a small independent shop owner or a large corporation with an established Environmental, Health, and Safety department, you need to have an overall safety protocol so the rules are clearly established.
Proper workplace attire and protective equipment must be outlined and used, and failure to use the equipment must be enforced. Punishment shouldn’t be disproportionate to the offense, but if you ignore safety violations, sloppiness will follow—and eventually, an accident will occur.
For larger stationary bevelers, a lockout/tagout routine should be used when performing maintenance. That way, nobody can inadvertently restore the power or activate the beveler, causing harm to someone who may be working behind the machine and out of view.
Make Sure Safeguards Are Being Used – Larger stationary beveling tools may come installed with safety switches, protective guards, and ventilation systems to ensure worker safety. It’s important that these safeguards be used properly, and not removed or turned off for reasons of convenience. They are there for a reason—to protect you and your workers.
Stay Within the Tool Parameters – Using a beveling tool beyond its design capabilities or with inappropriate materials may not only damage the tool, but it may also cause safety hazards to operators. Using a beveling tool with excess pressure or on a metal surface beyond the tool’s specifications can produce loose chunks of flying metal, excessive uncontrolled dusts, or toxic smoke. If your beveler cannot handle a particular job, consider whether you need to upgrade your beveling tools to match your capabilities.
These safety tips can be applied to more than just beveling tools. As you review your operation, look around at the daily practices. Are people operating equipment safely? If so, pat yourself on the back and keep up the good work. If not, you have some work to do. Create a mindset of safety at the top. Make it a priority, and employees will follow.
GERIMA beveling tools are built with a combination of durability, efficiency, and safety in mind—but as with any tool, they must be used properly. If you have any questions about available safeguards and safety protocols for a beveling tool, contact Saar-Hartmetall today at (859) 331-8770 or by e-mail at contact@saarusa.com. We want to make sure that you get the best use out of your beveling tool, and that you stay whole and unharmed to upgrade your beveling tools with us in the future.