Machine Safety for Injection Molding Machines Occupational Safety and Health Administration The...

Machine Safety for Injection Molding Machines

OccupationalSafety and HealthAdministration

The Societyof the PlasticsIndustry, Inc.

A Presentation of the OSHA-SPI Alliance


The Society of the PlasticsIndustry, Inc.

Course Objectives• Identify the types of injuries that can

occur while operating injection molding machines

• Describe the possible causes of these injuries

• Identify ways to safely operate injection molding machines

• Recognize the importance of a total safety and health approach



Reasons to Focus on Injuries in the Injection Molding

Process

• High injury/illness rates

• OSHA citations

• National Emphasis Program

• Site-Specific Targeting



Types of Injuries

• Fatalities

• Amputations

• Avulsions

• Fractures

• Cuts and bruises

• Sprains and strains

• Burns

• Electric shock



Some Causes of Injuries

• Reaching around, under, over or through guards into hazardous areas

• Removing or bypassing guards

• Reaching into equipment to remove stuck parts

• Not using LOTO procedures

• Machine/equipment malfunctions



Causes of Injuries (cont’d)

• Lack of recognition of hazards of the job

• Lack of familiarity with the equipment

• Inadequate training, comprehension, or both

• Operating machines with missing or inoperable guards and improper or inadequate machine maintenance



Injection Molding Machinery

• Horizontal injection molding machine (HIMM)

• Vertical injection molding machine (VIMM)



Vertical Injection Molding Machines - VIMMs



VIMMs

• Combinations of vertical and horizontal clamp and injection configurations of machines

• Regardless of the configuration of the machine, basic machine guarding and good safe work practices must be applied– Point of operation– Other moving machine parts



VIMMs: Unique Hazards and Issues

• Gravity

• Plastic splatter/missing insert

• Flying inserts

• Unexpected bystander interventions



Horizontal Injection Molding Machines - HIMMs



HIMMs: Mechanical Hazards

• Point of operation

• Pinch points

• Nip points

• Rotating parts



Potential Injuries from Mechanical Hazards

• Fatalities• Amputations• Avulsions• Crushing injuries• Fractures



Safety Guards and Devices

• Types of guards and devices • Movable guards with interlocks• Fixed barrier guards• Presence-sensing devices

• Mechanical safety bars • Locations of guards

– Over moving equipment – Around electrical hazards– Around thermal hazards



Operator’s Gate

• Equipped with redundant interlocks– Electrical– Hydraulic– Mechanical safety bar

• Allows the machine to operate only when the gate is closed



Electrical Interlock

• Allows the electrical system to operate and close the clamp

• Actuated when the operator’s gate is opened or closed

• Prevents clamp from closing when the operator’s gate is open



Hydraulic Interlock

• Actuated by opening or closing the operator’s gate

• Each hydraulic IMM requires at least one





• Must have at least one mechanical device on all IMM’s

Mechanical Safety Device



Other Guarding

• Rear guard• Top guard• Parts discharge

guard• Feed opening guard

• Electrical system guards

• Purge guard• Injection barrel

cover



Rear Guard

• Prevents clamp from closing when interlocked rear guard is opened

• Should have at least two interlocks

• Prevents access to mold areas



Top Guard

• Required if operator can reach over the top of the machine and into hazardous areas

• Should be interlocked if movable



Top Guards (cont’d)



Parts Discharge Guard

• Keeps employees from reaching under operator’s gate and into the danger zone



Purge Protection

• Covers the nozzle and purging area

• In combination with PPE, minimizes exposure to molten plastic during purging

• Window allows observation through purge guard, if equipped

• Should be equipped with an interlock

Purge guard

Safety window

Barrel cover



Injection Barrel Cover

• Protects from exposure to high voltage and high temperatures



How to Protect Yourself

• Recognize the hazards in the job you are doing

• Understand the requirements for guarding machines

• Implement guarding solutions



Virtual Safety Tour



Emergency Stop

Know:

• Where it is located

• What it controls

• When to use it



Signs and Warnings



Colors used with Safety Signs have meaning!

DANGER

White Lettering/Red Background

WARNING

Black Lettering/Orange Background

CAUTIONBlack Lettering/Yellow

Background



High Voltage



Rotating Screw



High Temperature



High Pressure



Robots

• Used to automate repetitive or hazardous tasks

• Must be guarded to prevent workers from entering or reaching into hazardous areas



The Robot



Our sincere thanks to:

• United Southern Industries, Inc.

• OSHA Region V

• The OSHA Training Institute

• OSHA’s Salt Lake Technical Center

• Paulson Training Programs, Inc.

• The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc.



Questions?

Machine Safety for Injection Molding Machines Occupational Safety and Health Administration The...

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