Advanced Manufacturing Technologies Steve Goddard

Analysis the Roles and Responsibilities within Organisations

Regarding Health and Safety in the Workplace

Assignment 1

1. Investigate and report on the health and safety organisation within a

company, this could be the company within which you work.

1. Introduction

For my report I am going to base my information on my company, AW (AgustaWestland) and

in particular AW UK as we are an international company, legislation and regulations may
differ in other countries.

The Board of Directors of AW regard compliance with Health, Safety and Environmental
(HS&E) and the continual improvement of HS&E performance as a mutual objective of
management and employees at all levels. AW UK proactively and systematically integrate
HS&E considerations into the planning, design, purchasing, manufacture, inspection/testing,
delivery and customer service of aircraft systems and integrated operational support for the
benefit of its stakeholders and the environment.

Specifically, AW UK:

• Ensure that elements of its activities, products or services that can impact on HS&E are
identified, evaluated and taken into account through a continuing programme of risk
assessment.

• Take all measures necessary to prevent major accidents and minimise their consequences
to persons and the environment in line with the Company Major Accident Prevention
Policy. (See appendix 1)

• Provide and maintain safe and healthy working conditions taking account of any statutory
requirements and risk assessment findings.

• Meet and strive to exceed applicable legal obligations and other requirements relating to
HS&E aspects to which the businesses subscribe e.g. Finmeccanica, Customers, CAA etc.

• Set HS&E objectives and targets which are annually reviewed with the aim of continually
improving HS&E performance and monitored through the use of appropriate KPIs.

• Consult with employee representatives on HS&E arrangements.

• Communicate openly on the nature of their activities and report progress on HS&E plans
and performance, including making this Policy available to all interested stakeholders.

• Include HS&E assessment in all investment decisions

• Promote HS&E awareness and best practice amongst their supply-chain and customers

• Ensure that all staff and sub-contractors are made aware of the HS&E Policy and the
requirements of the Management System through appropriate training, awareness
briefings and notifications The HS&E Policy, its associated procedures and documents are
issued under the authority of the Managing Director and implementation is mandatory on
all persons having an impact on the HS&E performance of AWUK.

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2. Levels of Organization

The organisational structure of the company in regards to Health and Safety is:

In addition to this the company also has Health, Safety and Environment committee meetings
three times a year this include a representative from each part of the business.

Mr S Jones Mrs S Dickinson Mr C Higgins

Business Affairs (Chairman) H, S & E (Minutes Secretary) HR

Mr B Tucker Mr A Hunns Mr M Pearce

Safety & Environment Safety & Environment Aircraft Operations

Mr A Pearce Mrs M White Mr D Angulo

Aircraft Support Services Technical Services Logistics

Mr P Smith Mr R Porter Mr R Worth

Fire Station DCC Safety & Environment

Mr S Kitto Mr J Parker Miss H Close

Transmissions Transmissions HR

Mr R Cranton Mr M Salzer Mrs K Mead

ICT Engineering Material Services

Mr P Coombs Mr D Collings Mr I Salisbury

Aircraft Operations DCC Operations Aircraft Operations

Mr M Burns Mr R Wardle Mr K Hunt

Quality Assurance EH101 Assembly AMICUS

Mr M Bird Mr C Wall Mr M Fair

Risk and Insurance Logistics Aircraft Support

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3. People Involved

Following on from the above tables, the responsibility then falls on employees and there
direct management to enforce and observe the health and safety rules.

Within my office there is a health and safety board at the far end of the office, this board
displays all of the relevant health and safety information and notices. These include:

The LIONEL procedure: - This procedure is for fire, medical or security emergencies and is an
anagram of specific information so that anyone would know exactly
what to say when reporting a 999 call. Below is an image of the
LIONEL procedure.

It is also worth noting that In AgustaWestland when making an emergency call we dial 999
which directs us to an internal line, AW will then dispatch our own medical, fire or security
personal and if needed, further assistance can then be called for.

The Health and Safety Law is displayed on the board.

A poster of the first aiders, fire wardens and their locations in the building.

The board also offers any other notices regarding health such as giving blood.

4. The Responsibilities of the Employer

Within the health and safety policy for AW UK the responsibilities the employer are broken
down into sections:

4.1 Managing Director and Senior Vice President Operations

The Managing Director and Senior Vice President Operations shall:

• Provide appropriate leadership to their direct reports in promoting safe working practices
and environmental probity.

• Participate in periodic review of HS&E performance against targets and objectives.

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• Nominate company HS&E Committee representatives from their business areas.

• Ensure senior management support and resource for specific activities as required to
support the Company ISO 14001 certification.

• Implement a HS&E strategy steering committee comprising managers from the following
business areas:

- Centres of Excellence (Aircraft Ops, Transmissions, Cust Service and Composites)

- Site Facilities
- Engineering
- HR
- Logistics
- Quality
- Insurance
- Training
- Safety & Environment
- Business

The Committee shall meet three times a year under rotating chairmanship by CoE
Vice Presidents.

4.2 Managers
All Managers are responsible for ensuring that activities under their control are undertaken in
accordance with the requirements as set out in the AW UK Health & Safety Policy and
Arrangements document and Environmental Management System (EMS). These documents
identify the key responsibilities under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974,
Environmental Protection Act and other relevant HS&E legislation.

All Managers shall:

• Consult with the Safety & Environment (S&E) Department for interpretation of HS&E
legislation and for advice and guidance on all HS&E matters.

• Ensure that working practices, conditions and equipment within the workplace are subject
to audit as defined by the Management Self Audit Programme.

• Ensure that for all activities under their control an appropriate risk assessment is
undertaken and that a register of these assessments is maintained together with the
appropriate control measures.

• Ensure that the findings of the risk assessment are communicated to all relevant persons,
i.e. employees, temporary workers, contractors, visitors etc.

• Ensure that risk assessment control measures are communicated, implemented, monitored
and enforced.

• Provide sufficient information, instruction and training to enable employees to perform their
work safely and efficiently with the minimum impact on the environment. In particular,
ensuring appropriate induction and training when new starters, processes or working
practices are introduced.

• Ensure appropriate consultation takes place with Trade Union appointed Safety
Representatives on any changes that may have an impact on employee health, safety and
welfare.

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• Ensure Fire Safety arrangements are implemented as required and act as a Fire
Warden/Fire Marshal.

• Ensure all accidents and near misses in areas under their control are reported and that the
Emergency Preparedness Plan is implemented as necessary.

• For areas covered by COMAH Regulations or designated as high risk, identify Site Incident
Controllers in accordance with the Emergency Preparedness Plan.

• Ensure emergency plans are communicated and practised on a local basis. Make sure they
are familiar with the relevant statutory obligations applicable to equipment/operations under
their control:

- Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV).

- Health Surveillance.
- Lifting Tackle.
- Portable Electrical Equipment.
- Pressure Vessels.
- Processes with environmental permits e.g. painting, surface treatment.

• Ensure that records of Personal Protective Equipment are kept up to date in line with the
Company policy HSP2035.

• Implement an environmental improvement programme to reduce the impact of the

department’s activities.

• Hold a monthly review of health, safety and environmental performance using a standard
agenda as below:

- Accident Performance
- Review of risk assessment programme
- Review environmental improvement programme
- Review of audit results
- New HSPs/EMS – Implementation
- Training – review of department H, S & E Support
- AOB

These reviews may take the form of general management review meetings or, where
appropriate, specific HSE meetings.

• Ensure appropriate records are kept of the above in order to provide the necessary
supporting evidence for demonstrating compliance to the enforcement authorities,
management system certification bodies and for protection in civil litigation matters

4.3 Supervisors of Work Activities

Notwithstanding the responsibility of managers to manage HS&E issues, those persons who
are not designated as Managers, eg. Supervisors but have responsibility for supervising work
activities, also have a responsibility to protect the environment and ensure the H&S of the
personnel they are supervising. They shall support line management by:

• Advising Management of activities requiring risk assessment, or having inadequate

assessment.

• Participating in risk assessment of activities under their supervision

• Understanding the risks associated with their area of control

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• Understanding and enforcing relevant risk control measures i.e. engineering, procedural,
training, maintenance, occupational health, personal protective equipment (PPE).

• Understanding EMS requirements and enforcing environmental permit requirements that

applies to their workplace.

• Ensuring weekly LEV checks are carried out.

• Ensuring gangways/escape routes are kept clear of obstructions and spillages.

• Ensuring hazardous materials, including waste, are segregated/labelled and stored

appropriately.

• Reporting the need to repair plant, equipment and infrastructure that could adversely affect
workplace health and safety or protection of the environment.

• Ensuring team members have requisite HS&E training, notifying manager of training needs
where necessary.

• Ensuring that any workplace equipment is serviceable and, where appropriate, has a
relevant statutory inspection validation date, for example – LEV, lifting equipment, portable
electrical appliances and chemical retention bunds.

• Ensuring that contractors working in their area of control have appropriate documentation,
i.e. risk assessments, method statements etc. and that they have been made aware of any
local H,S&E risks.

• Ensuring new starters, learners and young persons are adequately supervised.

• Ensuring accidents and near misses in their area of control are reported and investigated,
acting as Fire Warden and, where nominated, as a Site Incident Controller (SIC) in line with
the Emergency Preparedness Plan.

• Ensuring any person under their control report to the Occupational Health Department
(OHD) if they show symptoms of ill health that may be related to their workplace activity. The
Departmental Manager must be advised in such circumstances.

• Ensuring personnel under their control attend routine health surveillance and occupational
medicals as required by the OHD.

5. The Responsibilities of the Individual Employees

According to the AgustaWestland Health and Safety Policy all employees must:

1. Take reasonable care for the health and safety of themselves and of other persons who
may be affected by their acts or omissions at work.

2. As regards any duty or requirement imposed on their employer or any other persons by or
under any of the relevant statutory provisions to co-operate with them so far as is
necessary to enable that duty or requirement to be performed or complied with.
3. Not intentionally or recklessly interfere with or misuse anything provided in the interests of
health, safety and welfare in pursuance of any of the relevant statutory provisions.

4. Report immediately to their Supervisors any unsafe situation or defective apparatus.

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6. The Roles of Safety Officers and Representatives

6.1 Delegation of Health, Safety and Environmental

Responsibilities by Managers

To support Managers in the day to day management of health, safety and environmental
matters in the workplace, delegation of certain duties to others who are not necessarily in a
supervisory role is permissible. However, final responsibility resides with the Manager.
Persons appointed to provide HS&E assistance must receive appropriate basic training. This
training will be undertaken by the S&E department. Tasks that could potentially be
undertaken by persons providing HS&E assistance are:

• Reviewing current status of risk assessments and maintaining a departmental risk

assessment register.

• Maintaining a register of PPE.

• Maintaining a list of those persons who are subject to health surveillance and occupational
medicals.

• Accident record co-ordination including the investigation and reporting of accidents and
near misses.

• Progressing actions resulting from the monthly departmental HS&E reviews.

• Delivering HS&E induction training to employees and temporary workers.

• Carrying out weekly functional checks of LEV's.

• Carrying out process inspections required for environmental permit compliance.

• Preparation of HS&E action plans.

• Maintaining a list of persons supporting the HS&E function within the department, e.g.:

- HS&E Assistant(s)
- Risk Assessors
- Fire Wardens
- First aider(s)
- Local Radiation Protection Supervisors
- Laser Safety Officers
- Spill teams
- Site Incident Controllers
- Waste collection co-ordinators

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7. The Legal Requirement for Health and Safety Inspections

HSE will use inspection, within a legal framework of duties, standards, and sanctions, to
obtain assurance that duty holders adequately control health and safety risks from work
activities and meet relevant statutory provisions of the Health and Safety at Work Act.

Inspections are the processes carried out by HSE warranted inspectors which involve
assessing relevant documents held by the duty holder, interviewing people and observing site
conditions, standards and practices where work activities are carried out under the duty
holder’s control. Its purpose is to secure compliance with legal requirements for which HSE is
the enforcing authority and to promote improving standards of health and safety in
organisations.

Roles

Line Managers should:

• manage the work of their inspectors to achieve set objectives

• support and guide their inspectors as necessary

Inspectors should:

• Apply their knowledge and skills to promote compliance of legal requirements by duty
holders and to influence them to improve their management of health and safety,
apply their knowledge and skills to promote compliance of legal requirements by duty
holders and to influence them to improve their management of health and safety.

Responsibilities

Line managers are responsible for:

• ensuring that HSE’s strategic plans are reflected in appropriate inspection

programmes
• nominating and assigning competent inspectors
• ensuring that competent inspectors carry out inspections
• ensuring that inspection programmes are met in timely fashion

Inspection staff and inspection team leaders are responsible for:

• ensuring inspections are planned, carried out, and reported effectively

• following the appropriate enforcement decision making procedure where they identify
a requirement for enforcement action
• meeting performance standards

See below for an Inspection Procedure Flowchart as used by the Health and Safety Executive:

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8. Safety Inspection Procedures

Plant Equipment

Pressure Vessels

Currently Boilers and Air Receivers/Calorifiers are subject to examination by a competent

person every 14 months and 26 months respectively. The inspection records are sent to the
Safety Department for analysis and comment which in general will require action to rectify
defects discovered in the examination. Complete records are maintained in the Safety and
Maintenance Departments.

Two copies of each examination are received by the Safety Department. A copy is filed. The
other copy is sent to Maintenance Department with any notification for the requirement for
the rectification of a defect. The Maintenance Supervisor holds this copy.

Lifting Equipment

All cranes, hoists, block and tackle, slings etc. are subject to 6 monthly inspections as
required under the Factories Act 1961 by a competent person. The inspection records are
sent to the Safety Department for analysis and written comments and where appropriate
these comments will in general place a requirement on maintenance trade departments to
rectify any defect discovered in the examination.

All line managers must ensure that before any lifting equipment or related appliance is
purchased a Plan Number is sought from the On Site Inspection Facility. This plant number
must then be referred to on the official purchase order for the equipment so that the
equipment bears that plant number when received into the Company.

Local Exhaust Ventilation

In AW UK local exhaust ventilation are legally required to be checked every fourteen months,
however we do it every six months.

Portable Appliance Testing (PAT)

All items of mains-electrical equipment will be subject to a scheme of safety

inspection/testing at the frequency specified in Appendix A (See below). The inspection team
will visit all buildings annually and test all high risk equipment. Lower risk items in production
areas will be tested 4 yearly whilst low risk office equipment will be subject to random
testing.

The following labels are currently the standard labels found on all portable appliances in the
company. They alter colour from Yellow, Green and White to indicate the frequency of the
test.

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Asbestos Control

The following records shall be kept in support of asbestos control for a period of 40
years:

• Building ACM surveys and risk assessments

• Work activity risk assessments and safe methods of work
• ACM sampling results
• Routine visual inspection and air monitoring results
• ACM remedial work/removal records, including relevant HSE notifications
• Occupational health records
• Asbestos Contractor approval records
• Aircraft/aircraft component records – Drawings, Parts Databases, Aircraft
Technical Publications etc relevant to ACMs
• Asbestos Incident reports

The following flow chart describes the procedure to be used before working on asbestos
areas:

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2. Discuss the safety requirements and factors which should be included in the
design of automated areas. Make reference to the guarding of unmanned
equipment and areas and safety in the design of flexible manufacturing cells
and systems.

As machinery and plant have become more complex, so the techniques for protecting the
operators have become more sophisticated.
Over the years, individual countries have developed machinery safety standards to suit their
particular methods of operating and their attitudes towards safety. However, as
manufacturing has become more global there has been an increasing move towards
international standardization.

CNC machines are very safe to use as they are designed to be take little human interaction
apart from the primary programming. One of the main advantages of CNC machines is that
they are much safer than manually operated machines. The animation below shows a
Boxford A3 HSRi² CNC Router with many of its safety features labelled.

Most modern CNC machines are designed so that the cutting tool will not start unless the
guard is in position. Also, the best CNC machines automatically lock the guard in position
whilst the cutter is shaping material. The guard can only be opened if the cutter has stopped.

CNC routers, used for shaping materials such as woods and plastics, have built in extraction.
Dust can be very dangerous if inhaled and can also cause eye irritation. The CNC Router
shown above has an outlet for an extraction unit. As the router is fully enclosed, dust cannot
escape into the atmosphere. If an extraction unit is attached the dust is removed
automatically. Most manually operated machine routers have very limited extraction systems
which leave some dust in the air.

The CNC router above has a single phase electrical supply. Most older machines such as
manually operated milling machines and centre lathes have three phase supplies. A single
phase electrical supply can be ‘plugged’ into any available socket. The electrical supply for the
machine comes through a residual circuit breaker (RCB). If an electrical fault develops the
RCB will cut off electrical power immediately.

Single phase CNC machines can be moved more easily because they are simply unplugged
and relocated. Three phase machines are specially wired by an electrician into the electrical
supply and cannot be unplugged.

Most CNC machines work behind a guard or even a closed, transparent safety door. This
means that the operated cannot be hurt by 'flying' pieces of sharp/hot material.

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Mechanical Hazards

Machines have moving parts. The action of moving parts may have sufficient force in motion
to cause injury to people.

When designing machinery and equipment areas be aware of the following mechanical
hazards:

• Machinery and equipment with moving parts that can be reached by people
• Machinery and equipment that can eject objects (parts, components, products or waste
items) that may strike a person with sufficient force to cause harm
• Machinery and equipment with moving parts that can reach people such as booms or
mechanical appendages (arms)
• mobile machinery and equipment, such as forklifts, pallet jacks, earth moving equipment,
operated in areas where people may gain access.

Robotic arms can reach over their base, move

with remarkable speed and high force, and can
cause injury if controls to separate people from
moving plant are not implemented.

Mobile plant operated in areas where people work may cause injury through collision. Traffic
control and segregation are forms of control.

Below is a list of hazards and associated risks:

Hazard Risk
Rotating Shafts, pullies, sprockets and gears Entanglement
Hard surfaces moving together Crushing
Scissor or shear action Severing
Sharp edge – Moving or stationary Cutting or puncturing
Cable or hose connections Slips, trips and falls (e.g. oil leaks)

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Non Mechanical Hazards

Non-mechanical hazards associated with machinery and equipment can include harmful
emissions, contained fluids or gas under pressure, chemicals and chemical by-products,
electricity and noise, all of which can cause serious injury if not adequately controlled. In
some cases, people exposed to these hazards may not show signs of injury or illness for
years. Where people are at risk of injury due to harmful emissions from machinery and
equipment, the emissions should be controlled at their source.
When designing machinery and equipment areas be aware of the possible non-mechanical
hazards. Common non-mechanical hazards are shown below.

Non-Mechanical Hazards
Dust Mist (Vapours or fumes)
Explosive or flammable atmospheres Noise
Heat (Radiated or conducted) Ignition sources (flame or spark)
High Intensity Light (Laser, ultra-violet) Molten Materials
Heavy Metals (lead, cadmium, mercury) Chemicals
Steam Pressurised fluids and gases
Ionising radiation (x-rays, microwaves) Electrical

Risk control of mechanical hazards

Separation is a simple and effective machinery and equipment risk control. Separation may
be achieved by distance, barrier or time.

• Distance separation means a person cannot reach the hazard due to distance.
• Barrier separation means an effective barrier or guard denies access and controls ejection
of parts, products or waste.
• Time separation means at the time of access, the machinery or equipment is disabled.

Examples include:
• Physical barriers and guards such as fences,
screens or fixed panels of various materials
• Various forms of guarding and interlocking (as
described in Australian Standard AS 4024, part
1601 and part 1602, Safety of Machinery)
• Making the hazard inaccessible by reach (where
the distance between a person and the hazard
forms an effective barrier).
Note: When considering the suitability of distance
guarding; also consider the safe access
requirements of maintenance people who gain
access by ladder, scaffold or elevated work
platform.

Guarding

A guard can perform several functions: it can deny bodily access, contain ejected parts, tools,
off-cuts or swath, prevent emissions escaping or form part of a safe working platform.

Guarding is commonly used with machinery and equipment to prevent access to:
• Rotating end drums of belt conveyors
• Moving augers of auger conveyors
• Rotating shafts
• Moving parts that do not require regular adjustment

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• Machine transmissions, such as pulley and belt drives, chain drives, exposed drive gears
• Any dangerous moving parts, machines or equipment.
Where access is not anticipated, a fixed guard can be permanently applied by bonding agent,
welding or secured with one-way screws. If access is generally not required, a permanently
fixed barrier is the preferred option.

Where access to the hazard is infrequent, the installation of a fitted guard that can be
removed by use of a tool may be an acceptable control, where the tool to remove the barrier
or guard is not normally available to the operator.

Adjustable guarding incorporates movable sections or panels of the guard and allows for
material or parts to be fed into the guarded area while still preventing bodily contact.

Tunnel Guards

Tunnel guards provide a tunnel, aperture or chute in which material can be inserted into the
machinery and equipment, but due to the restrictive design and depth of the opening,
fingers, hands, arms or the entire person is prevented from intruding into the danger area.
Where frequent cleaning is required, the guard may be constructed of mesh that prevents
intrusion of body parts but allows for hosing. Food production workplaces that use conveyors
in areas where hygiene or food safety is an integral part of the operation use fixed mesh
guarding of conveyor end rollers.

Interlocking Guarding

Interlock guarding occurs when the act of moving the guard (opening, sliding or removing) to
allow access stops the action of the hazardous mechanism.

Interlock guarding works by:

• Mechanically disconnecting the
drive mechanism (applies a brake or
disengages a clutch or geared
mechanism)
• Isolating the power source of the
drive mechanism (stops the motor)
• A combination of mechanical and
power disconnection.

Interlock guarding is generally

achieved via mechanical or electrical
means, but may also include
hydraulic or pneumatic control
systems.

The energy stored in moving parts

(momentum) can cause the
mechanism of the machine or
equipment to run on for some time
after the source of driving energy
has been removed.

For access panels or doors

supporting an interlocking device
that allows access to mechanical
parts that move for periods after the
energy source is removed, a

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separate mechanism to delay release of the retaining or locking mechanism may be

incorporated.
Captive Key Systems

Captive key systems rely upon a single key that is shared between the control panel (‘on’
switch) and the access gate lock of the physical barrier to the danger area. Removal of the
key from the control panel can only occur when the switch is in the off position, and the gate
will only release the key when in the locked position.

Captive key systems do not provide full

isolation of the power source, but may provide
limited temporary access under controlled
conditions. Effective supervision, instruction
and training are required as administrative
controls to ensure that only one key is
available for the system, and the key is not
removed from the access gate or guard by a
second operator while
a person is exposed to the danger area of the
plant. Operations such as maintenance, repair,
installation service or cleaning may require all
energy sources to be isolated and locked out
to avoid accidental start-up.

Simultaneous Two-handed Operation

Where a machine has only one operator, the use

of simultaneous two-handed operation buttons
can serve as a risk control. This ensures that
operation of the hazardous mechanism cannot
occur until both hands are clear of the danger
area.
The two buttons must be pushed at the same
time and are located at a distance from each
other that prevents simultaneous operation by
one hand. The operation should be designed so
that if either or both of the buttons are released,
the hazardous action of the machine or
equipment cannot be reached, or if it can be
reached, the mechanism returns to a safe state.

Presence Sensing Systems

Presence sensing systems If physical guards are

not reasonably practicable, then a presence
sensing system can be used as a control to
reduce risk. Presence sensing systems can be
used where people enter areas shared by
moving production equipment.
Presence sensing systems are capable of
providing a high degree of flexibility with regard
to access.
Presence sensing systems detect when a person
is in the identified danger area, and stops or
reduces the power or speed of the mechanism
at the time of entry to provide for safe access.

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Presence sensing systems can rely on foot pressure pads, infra-red sensing, light beams or
laser scanning.
The most appropriate type of sensing device will depend on the operating environment and
access requirements.
Australian Standard AS 4024.2 provides guidance on design specification, ratings on integrity
and reaction times. Manufacturers’ specifications for installation and maintenance must also
be observed.
Specialist assistance may be required by experienced professionals to ensure correct selection
and installation of presence sensing systems. Companies who manufacture or supply these
systems also provide technical support and installation assistance.

Safety Product Examples

Power Isolation Prior to Multiple Access

The KP1 switch interlock is designed to operate as part of an integrated safety system,
controlling access to hazardous areas. The illustration details the requirement to isolate a
valve, which in turn isolates the power to the machine via the machine control circuit.

To gain access to the machine first of all, the valve must be turned to the closed position and
locked closed by removing the key. This locks the valve in the closed position and switches
the power off to the machine. The key is taken to the X type key exchange box, inserted and
trapped. This releases two further keys. These are used to unlock the AI access interlocks
mounted on the access points to the machine.

Pallet removal safety system - trapped key and perimeter guarding

The safety system requirement is to ensure that when the pallet is to be unloaded, the robot
will stop for the duration that the forklift truck is in the area, ensuring safe removal. Access is
also required to the robot via a side gate when the robot needs to be put into a teach mode.

Condition 1

The robot is active and loading the waiting pallet. The access point is locked closed and the
light curtain is active protecting the opening to the out feed conveyor.

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Condition 2

The fork-lift approaches the out feed conveyor and mutes the light curtain via the inductive
loop mounted in the floor. The robot ceases operation and allows safe access. The forklift
collects the pallet and withdraws. Once the forklift has retracted out of the protected area the
light curtain will become active once more. The robot will only resume operation when a
restart button has been depressed on the control panel.
For personnel to gain access through the gate the robot is stopped via the 'KS20ES' trapped
key unit. Key 'A' is inserted into the isolation lock of the access lock 'AIE', which allows the
release of the personnel key, key 'B'. Key 'B' is taken into the area by the operative. This key
can be used as a personnel key or as a teach key which is inserted into the 'KS20' within the
area. This will enable the robot into a tech mode only.

Permit To Enter - Time Delay Control (Electronic)

When the machine running down, the access keys are trapped and the switch contacts 3N/O
3N/C. Turning the isolation switch to the off position changes the contacts to the switch and
initiates the timer. After a pre-set time (set to the run down time of the machine) the timer
energises the solenoid and releases the access keys. The keys can now be transferred to the
access interlocks fitted to the perimeter guard of the machine. In this condition, the isolation
switch cannot be returned to the 'on' position. The isolation switch can also be 'locked off'
with a padlock as an additional safety measure. The position of the solenoid is monitored by
two safety switches. This feature enables an external dual channel safety relay to be

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connected to the two normally closed contacts of the safety switches. The safety relay will
prevent the machine from being re-started in the event of solenoid failure.

Conclusion

From my research I have found that there are a vast variety of different safety systems for
use in the automated manufacturing industry. Whilst this is the case the system or method
used alters greatly due to the process being undertaken, the maintenance requirements, and
the frequency of human involvement.

The main common feature in most of the safety systems is a cut to the power causing the
machine to power down safely when someone breaches the guards. For example this can be
initiated either via a light gate, a guard being lifted or by a timer.

The need for a detailed international standard is also quite apparent in this area. So far there
is no such standard to detail the most effective means of safety and therefore no rules and
guidelines to help employers understand what exactly is needed to protect their employees
when operating, supervising or maintaining automated machines.

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Appendix 1

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MAJOR ACCIDENT PREVENTION PLAN

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References & Bibliography

Internet

AgustaWestland Health, Safety & Environment webpage

www.theiet.org + virtual libraries
www.books24x7.com
http://www.technologystudent.com/cam
www.castell.com/eu
http://www.docep.wa.gov.au/WorkSafe/PDF/National_Standards/

Books

Safety with Machinery, Second Edition by John Ridley and Dick Pearce

Fundamentals of Modern Manufacturing: Materials, Processes, and

Systems, Third Edition by Mikell P. Groover

Other

Roy Worth – Health, Safety & Environment Officer at AgustaWestland

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