Machine guarding

Topic index

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Overview

Most machines do not discriminate between people and widgets - the task is all that matters. That can be a problem when a machine has moving parts and the worker inadvertently gets too close. As long as workers need machines to help them process material - to cut, shear, punch, bend, or drill - they will be exposed to moving parts that will hurt them. Much of the danger occurs at the point of operation, where the work is performed and where the machine cuts, shears, punches, bends, or drills.

All available content

Publications

Brochures/Guides
- Machine safeguarding at the point of operation
  Focuses on point-of-operation hazards and safeguarding methods; covers equipment found in many Oregon workplaces and current machine-guarding requirements.
  English Order printed copy 08/12/2024
Checklists
- Abrasive wheel equipment grinders
  Checklist for abrasive wheel equipment grinders.
  English
- Machine guarding
  Checklist for machine guarding.
  English
Hazard alerts
- Blades for cut-off type industrial saws (Fire Service)
  Hazard alert on the dangers of circular saw blades coming free from cut-off type industrial saws.
  English 04/02/2007
- Christmas trees harvesting, processing, and loading
  Outlines common hazards associated with harvesting, processing, and loading Christmas trees for shipping.
  English 09/20/2007
- Garbage truck - Lockout/Tagout failure
  Hazard alert on lockout/tagout failure for garbage trucks.
  English 08/07/2013
- Lathe operation safety
  Hazard alert on CNC lathe safety.
  English 01/22/2020
- Point of operation guarding on jump saws and inverted cut-off saws
  Hazard alert about machine guarding at the point of operation.
  English 08/16/2018
Labels and stickers
- Warning: All machine guards must be secured
  Warning: All guards must be secured in place before starting this machine.
  English Order printed copy 08/04/2006
Posters
- Hair today gone tomorrow
  Reminds workers of the dangers presented by hair and moving parts. Long hair is extremely dangerous around machinery. Always keep your hair completely covered.
  English Order printed copy 10/27/2022
References
- Rules with requirements
  We get many calls and emails from employers asking the same question. It begins: “Which of your rules have requirements for…” You can finish the sentence with words like “recordkeeping,” “employee training,” and “written documents.” To answer those questions, we’ve organized these rules requirements into a filterable, sortable, searchable table.
  English 05/10/2019

Education and training

Online course
- Bloqueo y Etiquetado
  Durante este curso aprenderá sobre; el propósito y alcance del estándar de bloqueo o cerrado/etiquetado, procedimientos de bloqueo y etiquetado, criterios de capacitación y criterios de inspección periódica.
  Spanish Online course
- Lockout/Tagout online course
  During this course you will learn about: the purpose and scope of the lockout/tagout standard; lockout and tagout procedures; training criteria; and periodic inspection criteria.
  English Online course

PESO
- Machine Safeguarding (PDF)
  Resguardos de Máquinas
  Tailgate English Spanish 11/14/2023
- Machine Safeguarding (PDF)
  Resguardos de Máquinas
  Overhead English Spanish 11/14/2023
- Machine Safeguarding (PDF)
  Resguardos de Máquinas
  Workbook English Spanish 11/14/2023
- Machine Guards (pptx)
  Resguardos de Máquinas
  Overhead English Spanish 11/14/2022
- Machine Guards (pptx)
  Resguardos de Máquinas
  Tailgate English Spanish 11/14/2022
- Machine Guards (pptx)
  Resguardos de Máquinas
  Workbook English Spanish 11/14/2022
Resources
- Public Education Workshop Schedule July-December
  Schedule for in-person and virtual workshop classes around the state during July through December. Attending an Oregon OSHA class helps you gain important knowledge and skills.
  English 01/27/2026
Workshop
- Lockout/Tagout and Machine Safeguarding
  PowerPoint slides for the Lockout/Tagout and Machine Safeguarding education workshop.
  Overhead English 02/24/2020
- Lockout/Tagout and Machine Safeguarding
  Machine Safeguarding
  Student Workbook used in the Machine Safeguarding portion of the Lockout/Tagout and Machine Safeguarding workshop.
  Workbook English 09/29/2025

Rules and rule-related

Final Rules
Interpretations
- Chain-type radial arm saw lower blade guard
  04/30/1991
- Craftsman radial arm saw
  03/10/1995
- Excavation/competent person and radial arm saw guarding
  09/30/1991
- Guarding of machinery by location
  05/17/1994
- Guarding on printing machines
  05/11/1999
- Installation of metal and woodworking machinery
  05/18/1999
- Letter of Interpretation - Linkage type lower blade guard
  Rule interpretation from January 1997 regarding linkage-type lower-blade guard for radial arm saws.
  01/08/1997
- Makita powered mitre box saw
  01/16/1990
- Measuring projecting shaft ends
  07/18/2016
- Wire wheel guarding
  04/08/1994
Program Directives
- Forging Machines
  Purpose: Several situations have arisen where alleged violations of hot forging operations have been cited under 29 CFR 1910.212(a)(3). Specific standards exist which cover the operations in Division 2 under Forging Machines.
  A-077 03/09/2001
- Guarding: Power Transmission Belts
  Purpose: To provide clarification of the application of "enclosed" and "fully enclosed" as applying to power transmission belts, and guarding by location.
  A-051 03/09/2001
- Guarding: Alternative Methods for the Oil and Gas Drilllling Industry
  Purpose: This directive provides guidelines for the use of certain monitoring techniques to comply with 1910.212(a)(1) and 1910.212(a)(2) in the oil and gas drilling industry.
  A-139 06/26/2001
- Guarding: Awareness Barriers Metal Cutting Shears
  Purpose: This instruction provides guidance for applying awareness barrier safeguards as installed on metal cutting shears.
  A-193 02/12/2007
- Guarding: Cut-Off Wheels and Masonry Saws
  Purpose: To provide guidelines for citing violations related to guards for cutoff wheels and masonry saws used in General Industry and Construction.
  A-031 12/06/2012
- Guarding: Inclined Belts on Light and Medium Duty Sewing Machines
  Purpose: To provide a uniform means of evaluating the nip point and moving belt hazard on light and medium duty sewing machines such as those used in apparel manufacturing of light-weight materials.
  A-015 01/14/2013
- Guarding: Metal Lathe Chucks (Engine Lathes)
  Purpose: To establish criteria for determining when guarding should be required for metal lathe chucks.
  A-236 08/25/2005
- Guarding: Portable Abrasive Grinders When Used for Internal Grinding
  Purpose: To clarify the intent of the affected rules.
  A-120 03/09/2001
- Guarding: Portable Belt Sanding Machines
  Purpose: To inform OR-OSHA staff of the existence of a federal program directive.
  A-192 03/27/2001
- Guarding: Power Press Brakes
  Purpose: This instruction provides guidelines the guarding requirements for power press brakes. When guarding by barriers or physical devices is infeasible, guarding by "safe distance" is permitted if the employer meets conditions outlined below.
  A-217 05/14/2013
- Guarding: Radial Arm Saws
  Purpose: To clarify what constitutes an acceptable guard in the enforcement of radial arm saw guarding.
  A-038 03/08/2001
- Guarding: Scissor Lift
  Purpose: To provide guidelines for guarding scissor lifts.
  A-110 03/09/2001
- Guarding: Three-Roller Printing Ink Mills
  Purpose: The purpose of this instruction is to clarify the guarding requirements of the subject standard relative to the ingoing nip point on three-roller printing ink mills and to assure uniformity in the enforcement of the standard statewide.
  A-209 06/04/2001
- Guarding: Tongue Guards on Grinding Wheels
  Purpose: This program directive addresses the issue of which rules to cite when tongue guards are missing or out of adjustment, and work rests are missing or out of adjustment, on bench or pedestal grinders used in General Industry and in Construction.
  A-084 08/12/2009
- Guarding: Woodworking Machinery
  Purpose: To provide guidance in the application of 1910.213 (d)(1) and 1910.213(g)(1) by specifying the degree of violation for manually adjusted guards for hand-fed ripsaws and swing cutoff saws.
  A-107 03/13/2001
- Machine Guarding: Mechanical Power Presses
  Purpose: To aid in the recognition and applicability of 1910.212 and 1910.217 as they relate to mechanical power presses, platen presses, iron workers, press brakes, and other similarly configured machinery.
  A-291 11/13/2013
- National Emphasis Program (NEP) on Amputations
  Purpose: This directive describes policies and procedures for implementing a National Emphasis Program (NEP) to identify and reduce workplace machinery and equipment hazards which may cause amputations.
  A-280 12/12/2025
- Power Presses: Presence Sensing Device Initiation
  Purpose: This directive describes OR-OSHA’s response to Federal OSHA’s adoption of third party certification rules for PSDI equipment.
  A-229 08/25/2005
- Slide-lock use to control hazardous energy on machinery
  Purpose: This instruction establishes enforcement policies, inspection procedures and performance guideline criteria for the safe design, construction, installation, testing, maintenance and use of slide-locks used for the control of hazardous energy on machinery.
  A-263 03/04/2015
Summary of comments and decisions
- Summary of comments and agency decisions regarding proposed changes to Division 2 Subdivision O OAR 437-002-0256 Oregon Rules for Refuse Collections and Compaction Equipment
  7-2009

Video Resources

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Machine Guarding
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Additional Resources

Highlights

publication cover
Machine Safeguarding at the Point of Operation