An Assessment of Company XYZ’s Injection Molding Machine Guarding Practices

Abstract

Plan BThemajorgoalsofthisstudyweretoassesstheguardingpracticesoftenplasticinjectionmoldingmachineswithintwoCompanyXYZMidwesternlocationsandtoanalyzetheorganization’saccidentreports,whichinvolvedplasticinjectionmoldingmachines.Thestudy’sdatawascollectedbyperformingvisualassessmentsofCompanyXYZ’sinjectionmoldingmachinesaswellasananalysisoftheorganization’saccidentreportsforcalendaryear2020.TheresultsofthestudyindicatethatCompanyXYZ’sinjectionmoldingoperatorswereabletoreachintoalloftheassessedmachines’moldareafromthedischargezoneandcouldalsoreachtovariousmovingparts(e.g.,molds,clampingmechanismsandejectors)duringnormalproductionactivities.Company XYZ spent approximately $38,000, during calendar year 2020 as a result of 28 reported incidents,which occurred due to various substandard conditionswhich related to insufficient machine guarding/lacking ergonomic designor employee-performed substandard acts. Inordertoreducethenumberoffutureemployeeincidentsthatinvolveplasticinjectionmoldingmachines,itwasrecommendedthatCompanyXYZ’sSafetyDepartmentupdate its current machine guarding checklisttomirrortheresearcher’sassessmenttool.The interlock door height of the injection molding machines should be assessed and modified as needed to be at least seven feet from the floor, and any danger zones that operators may reach through thedischargechutes or into themolds, clamping mechanisms, and ejector zones should be guarded. In addition, CompanyXYZshouldperform ergonomic assessmentsof all processes that involve plastic injection molding machines