Machinery in the workplace can be of great benefit if used correctly and safely. Heavy machinery easily completes many tasks in a timely manner, but these machines are also capable of causing great harm if you don't know how to use them properly. Misusing heavy machinery leads to a variety of serious workplace injuries and fatalities.

Listed below are five workplace safety tips to always keep in mind for ensuring machine safety in the workplace.                                                   

1.    Always Have Proper Machine Guarding On Machines: Machine guarding is very important for machine safety because it protects employees from dangers such as rotating parts, flying chips and sparks with guards such as barrier guards, light curtains and two-hand operating devices. All of these types of machine guards protect your employees from the potential workplace safety dangers of heavy machinery.

2.   Always Wear The Required Equipment: If operating heavy machinery, or even being near an operating machine, requires a certain piece of safety equipment, always put it/them on. No exceptions! Safety equipment is required for a reason. For example, if you need to have on safety goggles, they are required because they protect your eyes from possible flying objects created by the machine. It's always better to wear the equipment to prevent workplace injuries and fatalities.

3.   Do Not Interfere With Moving Or Operating Machinery: While heavy machinery is on and operating, do not interfere with it or the person operating it. Operating this powerful machinery requires a certain amount of focus that's broken if you are distracting the person doing this. You also want to stay clear of moving parts. Touching a moving part of heavy machinery is an easy way to get a limb caught, which could easily result in a serious injury or even a fatality.

4.   Never Operate Machinery You Have Not Had Training For: All heavy, powerful machinery in the workplace requires successful training in machine safety. You have to be taken through a tutorial by someone who already knows how to operate the machine. If you try to operate this machinery without the proper training, you put yourself and everyone around you at serious risk for workplace injuries and fatalities. These machines are capable of a lot of damage and you need to know what you're doing and how to do it properly before you even begin to operate one.

5.   Stay Clear Of Loading Zones While Machines Are Unloading: Machines are unpredictable at times. They may not do exactly what you expect them to. The best machine safety practice when a machine is unloading a truck is to stay clear, especially if you're on foot, to make sure you don't get in its way at all. The machine could malfunction or drop something heavy and you could be the one to pay.

Heavy machines are of great use to the workplace in helping to complete difficult tasks. But for the best machine safety practices, always be aware of them. They are very dangerous and capable of injuries and fatalities if you aren't extremely careful when working with or around them.

Ready to learn more about preventing common workplace injuries? Call 800-523-5367 to speak with an Arbill Safety expert or visit our website at www.arbill.com.