Nip point at conveyors

I just read an article by the HSE in the UK. A worker had the skin ripped off the palm of their hand at the gap between conveyors.?

I don’t know how often I’ve pointed out nip points like this to customers. People often don’t understand the hazard. In this case, one of the conveyors was stopped and the worker was simply trying to clean a sensor to allow it to run, something they probably have done many times. An inexpensive plate to reduce the accessible gap to 6mm or less would likely have prevented this horrific injury.

Nip points occur between a rotating object and a fixed object (such as an end stop, guide, chute, or structural member), counter-rotating objects (such as hold-down or metering belts), or two objects rotating at different speeds (one slower or stopped). We generally look for nip points under conveyors as well, considering not just access during normal operations but also cleaning and maintenance. See the photo above.

Nip points don't have to crush to cause injuries, as this story exemplifies, and the speed of the belt doesn't matter. Once trapped in a nip you are caught, and it may be impossible to pull yourself out. It's an unpleasant thought, but the slow speed just means you'll be screaming in agony for longer.

If you need assistance with PHSR's or evaluations of functional safety, machine guarding, hoists and cranes, racks, hazardous locations (explosion zones), or dust collectors, please let us know.

#functionalsafety?#workplacesafety?#safetyculture?#safetyfirst?#manufacturing?#industry4

https://press.hse.gov.uk/2023/07/14/5173/?utm_source=govdelivery&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=press-channels-push&utm_term=hand-injury&utm_content=news-18-jul-23