A Simple Way to Add Machine Guarding and Meet Compliance

Machine guarding, when properly designed and installed, is an effective and simple way of protecting your employees and equipment and maintaining OSHA and ANSI/RIA R15.06-2014 (now A3) compliance. It consists of posts and wire mesh panels that are secured to each other and the ground, creating a strong, versatile, and economical barrier around your equipment. It can also double as a safety guard to contain materials that could go attempt to fly out of the cell.

The full-steel-frame wire mesh panels add to the secure barrier, unlike typical fencing, and are available in both a welded wire construction as well as a woven wire construction. These panels are extremely resilient and provide a trusted and virtually maintenance-free barrier.

Machine guarding is commonly found around manufacturing and automation equipment, including welding cells, metal forming areas, lasers and other cutting operations, press break equipment, and automated assembly or handling equipment. It can also provide helpful separation in work cells, perimeter guarding or separation, and hundreds of other industrial applications.

We provide two types of machine guarding solutions, all being USA-made and leading industrial solutions. They both will also keep you in compliance with OSHA and ANSI/RIA R15.06-2014 (now A3) standards.

1). The first is an easy-to-assemble machine guarding system we call RapidGuard® II, which we sell online or over the phone in posts, panels, and doors. It can be quickly installed, even by one person, thanks to its patent-pending T-Slot assembly feature. It comes with all the necessary hardware and instructions to make mounting the posts and hanging the panels/doors a quick process for your maintenance team or handyperson. The installation time on this product is 50% faster than most competing products! Panels can also be quickly removed should you need to perform maintenance or changeouts to your equipment. A variety of safety switches or interlocks can also be supplied with the doors, just contact us for additional ordering information.

    • 10 gauge welded wire, patterned in a 1-1 1/4" square (center to center) and securely welded to 13 GA 1-1/4" x 1-1/4" roll-formed angle panel frames.
    • 2" square 14GA posts with 6" SQ x 1/4" steel baseplates, available in "run" and "corner" options.
    • Standard size panels available in 6'-1 1/2" or 8' high by 1' to 5' wide (5 1/4" standard sweep).
    • Hinged and slide doors available.
    • Unique lift-off design allows for the removal of guards (panels) while the fixing system (hardware) remains attached to the guards (post), in compliance with RIA TR R15.406
    • 5/16"-18 x 3/4" tool removable hardware is compliant with ANSI B11.19 and RIA TR R15.406.

2). The second solution is a custom-designed machine guarding system that leverages our many panel options, size options, and door types. This type of system is quickly designed and manufactured to your precise needs. To see many of our options, check out our wire custom solutions page. To initiate a quote, simply contact us and we can begin gathering your necessary information to provide a fast quote and solution.

    • Standard height of 5'-3 1/4" with 0'-3 1/4" sweep & 8'-5 1/4" with 0'-3 1/4" sweep.
    • Fully framed panel adds strength and stability unequaled in the industry.
    • Hinged, double-hinged, sliding, and vertical rise doors available.
    • Angle frame design gives the installer clear access to hardware, speeding installation; assembly hardware is inaccessible from the secured side of the guard.
    • All hardware including anchors included; standard 3/8" mounting hardware is the heaviest in the industry.
    • Panels may be ordered in alternate woven and welded mesh options, expanded metal, sheet metal, or clear polycarbonate.

 

Need additional information or want help designing the right solution for your company? We are here to help. Just contact us and we will be in touch right away! 

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