Machine Safety for Machine Tools – Key Considerations

1. Legal Requirements

When using machine tools, companies must comply with a range of regulations related to occupational safety and accident prevention. These include national legislation on workplace safety as well as European directives, particularly the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC, which outlines essential safety requirements for machinery and protective devices. Based on these regulations, companies are obliged to:

• carry out risk assessments
• implement suitable safety measures and
• ensure regular inspection and testing of equipment.

2. Risk Assessment

Employers are required to assess all risks associated with the use of work equipment before it is used. “Work equipment” includes tools, machines, and systems used at work, including those requiring regular monitoring or inspection.

Typical operations involving work equipment include installation, operation, maintenance, cleaning, inspection, modification, dismantling, and transportation. A comprehensive risk assessment should take into account:

• the suitability and safe usability of the equipment,
• ergonomic and safety-related aspects of the workstation,
• potential physical or psychological strain on employees,
• and foreseeable risks during troubleshooting or malfunction clearance.

Risk assessments must be conducted not only before initial commissioning but also after any safety-relevant changes to equipment or the working environment, such as retrofitting safety components.

3. Safety Measures

To mitigate hazards associated with machinery, employers can either reduce the risk to a safe level or prevent exposure through protective measures, particularly the use of safety devices.

Many hazards cannot be eliminated without proper safety equipment. Employers must ensure that all machinery is used in a way that provides adequate protection against foreseeable risks under normal operating conditions. This includes guarding against falling or ejected parts and preventing unintended access to moving components.

The types of safety measures required are generally defined by occupational safety regulations and should be implemented according to a formal risk assessment process.

4. Types of Safety Devices

To protect against moving parts, different types of safety devices are used. These can be classified into:

• Physical Guards (Separating Protective Devices): These prevent access to hazardous areas by creating a physical barrier. Examples include safety enclosures, covers, and casings.
• Interlocking and Control-Based Devices (Non-Separating Devices): These do not provide a physical barrier on their own but work in combination with control systems to reduce risks. For instance, they may automatically stop the machine when a guard is opened. Examples include interlock switches, restart prevention mechanisms, and enabling devices.
• Deterrent Devices (Limiting Access): These restrict but do not fully block access to dangerous areas. Examples include handrails, guards at roller inlets, or low fencing that makes unintended access more difficult.

5. Equipment Testing and Inspection

Employers are responsible for ensuring the safe condition of electrical equipment and must determine which inspection and maintenance measures are necessary. This includes both initial testing and periodic re-testing. An inspection must be carried out:

• before the first use of electrical equipment,
• after modifications or repairs,
• and at regular intervals throughout its service life.

Testing must be performed by qualified personnel with appropriate technical knowledge. These experts may be internal or external to the company.

Although some national specifics (like Germany’s DGUV regulations) are not directly transferable, similar responsibilities exist across the EU under occupational health and safety frameworks. Employers remain accountable for planning, documenting, and ensuring timely inspection of all relevant equipment.

MOWOTAS – Your Partner for Reliable Safety Equipment

At MOWOTAS, we offer a wide range of safety equipment for machinery and workstations. Our high-quality protective devices for machine tools are compatible with lathes, drills, milling machines and grinders from a variety of manufacturers. Using protective covers and screens — with or without viewing windows — rotating machine parts such as drills and chucks are effectively shielded. This helps contain flying chips and fluids and prevents access to moving components during operation. Our safety devices can also be equipped with additional features such as safety microswitches, automatic restart protection in case of power failure, and emergency stop buttons.

We provide protective equipment in various sizes and configurations, and we are happy to assist with customised solutions. All our safety products comply with current safety standards and the European Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC.

Our product range also includes ergonomic anti-fatigue mats and non-slip wooden duckboards designed to improve stability and reduce physical strain. Made from durable materials, many of these floor coverings are resistant to oils and chemicals, and some offer flame-retardant properties.

Also available: mobile polycarbonate safety partitions — ideal for separating workstations in industrial environments — and hygiene screens for infection control.

Retrofitting Safety Equipment – We’re Here to Help

All our safety devices and spare parts are easy to retrofit. We’re happy to support you with installation on all types of machine tools. Need assistance with equipment inspections in line with safety standards? Our technicians are here to help.

Looking for advice on retrofitting safety devices or have a technical question about machine safety?

Get in touch — quickly and easily via our contact form or by email at: info@mowotas.com