Power of the press
Power presses, like most big mechanical plant, have been operated subject to regular mandatory inspections for many years. But there's a problem: the approaches taken to those inspections have varied, according both to the inspection company and the equipment itself.
Novel emergency stop improves efficiency at Airbus Filton
The Airbus plant at Filton, Bristol is reporting improved safety and efficiency since installing Siemens' innovative 'e-stop' emergency stop buttons.
Safety first
When it comes to automated plant, ensuring safety is not just about adherence to the IEC 61508 control system standard or its industry-specific derivatives (IEC 61511 for the process industries, IEC 62061 for machinery etc). It's also about instilling a bullet-proof safety culture and sticking to basic rules. Just as important, we need to understand why people do things that put themselves and others at risk.
Lifting the bar
Case law demonstrates that courts are taking an increasingly tough line with lifting-related accidents, if companies and plant managers cannot prove due process, writes Crispin Kenyon
Machine safety
Following last year's update of the Machinery Directive, Laura Cork uncovers concerns and confusion over safety-related issues – for machine builders, specifiers and users
Machinery directive
How will you be affected by the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008 (SI2008/159), which come into force on 29 December 2009? If you're not involved with the design, manufacture or sale of machinery, you might think, ?not much', since the legislation is aimed squarely at suppliers, not plant users.
Accidents waiting to happen
Common sense it may be, but all too often the use of machine guards falls way short of the legal standards. Brian Tinham talks to TÜV SÜD about problems and solutions.
Uplifted engineering
The revised Machinery Directive will have an effect on operations engineers using lifting equipment. Dr Tom Shelley reports
Welcome to the machine
Studying the latest version of the Machinery Directive in its draft form, it is apparent that, contrary to the common charge of Euro gobbledegook, here is a sound, best practice design guide for machinery designers, builders, operators and maintainers, written in plain and useful English.
Why bespoke speaks for itself
When installing cable management products, getting all the equipment you need from stock is not always possible. After all, specific production facilities cannot be picked from a stock catalogue. Often, production lines within a facility are being adapted or modified to accommodate new processes and machinery. And this creates its fair share of installation problems. Making sure expectations are met, while sourcing the correct equipment to the usual tight timescale - and all within a given budget - can be a major challenge.