VCAL WORK RELATED SKILLS - SENIOR - Unit 1 Â
Infosheet 7. Mechanical Equipment Mechanical equipment (plant, machinery and hand-held power tools) can cause serious injuries, including open wounds, fractures and amputations. Some injuries can result in death. Sprains and strains often result when mechanical equipment is used incorrectly. Bad working posture contributes to many such injuries.
The most common mechanical equipment injuries are to hands and fingers, which may be cut, sprained, dislocated, broken, crushed or cut off by machinery or tools. Eye injuries can be caused by heat or radiation, or by objects thrown from moving mechanical parts.
Mechanical equipment injuries can cause long periods of time off work, and sometimes permanent disability. Many such injuries happen in the construction, agricultural and manufacturing industries.
When working with mechanical equipment, personal protective equipment may include protective gloves, arm guards, safety glasses, hard hats and safety boots.
Guards Guards attached to mechanical equipment protect you from the moving parts of machines. Machine guards must never be removed and if a guard is damaged or missing, the machine must not be used until it can be repaired or replaced. A missing or damaged guard must be reported at once.
If guards are removed during cleaning, make sure they are replaced and checked by an authorised person before the machine is used. Never start machinery during cleaning.
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VCAL WORK RELATED SKILLS - SENIOR - Unit 1
‘Locking Out’ Equipment Locking out is one way of stopping electrically powered machinery from starting during maintenance. A lock is attached to the machine switch so it can't be turned on.
The person working with the machine should hold the only key to the lock. A lock must only be removed by the person who attached it to the equipment or machinery. Procedures must be put in place for the removal of the lock should that person not be available (for example, if there has been a change of shift workers, or if the person authorised to remove the lock has been called away).
‘Danger’ and ‘Out of Service’ Tags Red and black 'DANGER' tags are designed for the protection of individual people. The only person permitted to remove a personal 'DANGER' tag is the person whose name is on the tag.
Yellow and black 'OUT OF SERVICE' tags are used to prevent accidents or damage to machinery that is out of service for repairs.
The safe work procedures for removal of 'DANGER' and 'OUT OF SERVICE' tags at your workplace must be followed.
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VCAL WORK RELATED SKILLS - SENIOR - Unit 1
Worksheet
Missing Words TASK: Complete the Missing Words exercise below.
1. Mechanical equipment includes _____________, _____________ and hand held _____________ tools. 2. _____________ are attached to mechanical equipment to protect people from _____________ _________ of machines. 3. If guards are removed during ____________ or maintenance, they must be _____________ and _____________ by an _____________ person before the machine is used. 4. Many mechanical equipment injuries happen in the _____________, _____________ and _____________ industries. 5. ____________ ______ is one way of stopping _____________ powered machinery from ____________ during maintenance
Scrambled Words TASK: Unscramble the “mechanical equipment” related words below.
CYHERMNAI
_________________________________________________
NNCMATENAIE
_________________________________________________
GANDER GAT
_________________________________________________
TNLPA
__________________________________________________
UTO FO VEECSRI
__________________________________________________
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VCAL WORK RELATED SKILLS - SENIOR - Unit 1
Short Answer Exercise TASK: Using the ‘Infosheet’ and the link below, complete the following questions: http://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/safety-and-prevention/health-and-safety-topics/plant
1. What does “mechanical equipment” mean? (Give some examples.)
2. List some of the injuries that can occur when working with mechanical equipment.
3. What is the purpose of guards attached to mechanical equipment?
4. What must be done if a machine guard is found to be damaged or missing?
5. What is the difference in colour between DANGER and OUT OF SERVICE tags?
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VCAL WORK RELATED SKILLS - SENIOR - Unit 1
6. What kind of personal protective equipment (PPE) is used to protect people working with mechanical equipment?
7. What is ‘locking out’?
8. Why are procedures for the removal of locks important (for example, what happens if the person authorised to remove a lock has been called away)?
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