Add Emergency Stop Button to old machinery (machne tools) 2

[DPForumDog]

What does OSHA require when it comes to adding emergency stops on old machine shop equipment? Some of the machinery is these shops are more than 5o years old and have no e-stops. In the manual machine shop world it is probably the norm to have more machinery that was built without E-Buttons were required. I am talking about huge lathes, boring mills etc.

I am not sure that you could even add E-Stops to some of this old stuff.
If anybody has insight I would really appreciate it.

DP

 

[mcgyvr]

We had a bunch of old equipment (Johnson Band Saws/Hardinge Lathes,etc..) and we were required to add guards (some we had to make as they aren't available anywhere) to areas that didn't have guards available when the machine was built..

There is no "grandfather" rule in OSHA.. The machine either meets todays requirements or it does not.
If it does not you need to get it up to current code.

 

[chicopee]

"... I am talking about huge lathes, boring mills etc. " I suspect that these manufacturers are no longer in production but if they are contact them. OSHA also allows for safe distance operation,, wrist restraints, machine guarding, light beams etc.. for these machines so as to protect the operators. Also do a search for the manufacturers of these safety items since emergency stops are commercially available and can be retrofitted on these older pieces of equipment.

 

[IFRs]

You are required by law ( and your own ethics and morals ) to provide a safe work environment. Your arm does not know if the machine that cut it off was old or new. find a way to make it safe and comply with OSHA. It's not really that hard !

 

[racookpe1978]

Barriers to keep workers away from the machinery "kill zones" are permitted. Robot arms and robot loaders use "stay away zones" to segregate workers from moving machinery. A camera or remote measurement sensor might be used to give you a remote digital measurement rather than the old hand-feed for example, so the worker is back away from the old swinging tool.