You have just been appointed as a floor supervisor in a start up processing plant. Part of your job will be to ensure proper installation of conveyor equipment across your warehouse. It will be critical to the overall processing function as conveyors help to increase productivity. Once you have the conveyor equipment installed, you need to install conveyor guards at pinch points to prevent accidents. Nonetheless, you should know about the different types of conveyor guards available in the market. Once you have an idea of what you are looking for, then you can make an informed decision regarding the best guard to use on your conveyor. This article provides information concerning the different conveyor guard categories.
Fixed Enclosure
This is one of the most common and most visible guards in the market. As the name suggests, fixed ring conveyor guarding are usually welded at fixed points and enclose the conveyor belts at particular points. Sometimes they will be fastened into place using screws or nuts. Whichever fastener you choose depends on how much your conveyor belt vibrates. If you expect significant vibrations, then you should weld the guard. However, if you expect minimal vibrations, then bolts or screws will do the work. One area you should place the fixed enclosure guard is at belt edges where there are pinch points. This way, there is a barrier that workers cannot cross which prevents floor injuries.
Fixed Distance Barrier
Another effective way of protecting workers from pinch points is by keeping them as far away as possible for these points. You can achieve this by using fixed distance barriers. These types of conveyor guards prevent access to hazardous points by their sheer dimensions as well as distance from dangerous points. Fixed distance barrier might come in the form of a fence that restricts access to certain areas along the conveyor.
Adjustable Barrier Guard
This is a fixed guard that can be entirely adjusted or one that has particular adjustable parts. Usually, flexible barrier guards come with a mechanism that stops the conveyor belt whenever the adjustable part is interfered with. Therefore, once the hazardous area has been attended to, lock the flexible device into place and start the conveyor belt. The movable section of the interlock will remain fixed for as long as dangerous areas are not breached and the conveyor belt keeps running. However, if the mechanism detects a slight adjustment to the barrier mechanism, then the belt will stop immediately.
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