Conveyors - Safety

There are many hazards associated with working at or near a conveyor, including:

• Rotating parts or pinch points can drag in, crush or entangle
• Confinement or assembly areas (the area between a fixed object and a moving one) can shear or crush
• Parts that slide or reciprocate (press down) can crush or shear
• Items can break or be ejected (thrown from) the conveyor system
• Items can fall off the conveyor
• Electrical, fire or explosion hazards

When working near any conveyor:

Do

• Wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) for the task, including a hard hat and safety shoes.
• Tie back (and tuck in) long hair.
• Know the location of the emergency "shut-off" devices and how to use them.
• Regularly inspect the conveyor, checking for loose or damaged parts
• Make sure all safeguards and guards, including cages, barriers, guardrails, warning signals, and other safety devices that are required are in place and operational.
• Consider working in pairs in case an emergency occurs. 
• Follow your training and know how to work near machinery safely.

Do Not

• Do not wear loose clothing or jewellery.
• Do not climb, step, sit or ride on the conveyors, even when it is stopped.
• Do not alter or remove guards or safety devices.
• Do not override safety controls
• Do not try to remove stuck items or debris until the conveyor is locked out.
• Do not service the conveyor without following lock-out procedures.

Gravity conveyors include those that have rollers, wheels or chutes where objects move by gravity or momentum only.

Do

• Guard pinch points on rollers and wheels and between the conveyor and receiving table.
• Provide adequate guardrails along the sides to prevent all objects from falling off.
• Provide retarders (friction areas) if heavy objects are conveyed.
• Ensure there are warning devices near the receiving areas if you cannot see the packages moving on the conveyor.
• Ensure draft checks (fire doors) are installed where conveyors pass through fire walls or floors.

"Powered" or "power" conveyors include the use of belts, live rollers, slats, or buckets.

Do

• Position yourself so that you are not hit by objects moving down the conveyor.
• Ensure that you can see the conveyor system when you are at the operating controls.
• Ensure that guards are in place for all moving parts of the drive system and in all zones where hazards such as in-running nip, drawing-in, trapping and crushing, friction burns or abrasion are present (includes above, sides, and below the conveyor).
• Guard all pinch points between the conveyor system and fixed objects.
• Locate guardrails around low-level conveyors and areas where conveyors pass through the floor or ceiling.
• Locate emergency stop cut-off switches near the operator and along the length of the conveyor at approximately 30 metres (100 feet) apart (or closer).
• Ground belts on belt conveyors to prevent static buildup.

When working with aerial conveyors:

• Make sure that guards and protection plates are in place to protect people working below from falling objects.

When working with bucket conveyors:

• Make sure that both vertical and horizontal bucket conveyors are totally enclosed.

When working with pneumatic conveyors:

• Familiarize yourself with control devices and release valves to cut off airflow in the event of a blockage.
• Shield joints and access points to prevent material from being thrown in the event of gasket failure.
• Ensure that screening is in place at the suction end to prevent large objects from being sucked in.

When working with portable conveyors:

• Use only weatherproof electrical components.
• Make sure power cables are located where they will not be walked on or run over.
• Make sure that sideboards are high enough to prevent large items from falling and smaller items from being thrown by the wind.
• Chock the wheels on trucks and rail cars that are being loaded or emptied by portable conveyors.
• Do not exceed the rated load capacity of the conveyor.

When working with movable conveyors:

• Install barrier guards, guardrails and/or mark the ground to indicate operating area of the conveyor.

Yes. If working at a conveyor or belt, repetitive motions, reaching, and lifting may lead to Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSD) especially when movements are done quickly and for a long period of time. The following case studies are available as examples and the information can be applied to a variety of situations:

• Conveyor - Ergonomics
• Bottle Recycling Department of a Brewery
• Fish Processing