Machine Guards and Safeguards

Machine Guards, Safeguards

Our Work with Guards and Safeguarding in Our Forensic Engineering Work

In our Forensic Engineering work, Safeguards, including physical guards, mechanical interlocks, light curtains, dual operating buttons, instrumentation, etc., are routinely analyzed, particularly relative to Warnings, whether present or not. Safeguards and Warnings are closely related, but generally used for different conditions. The safety requirements for Safeguards and/or Warnings are used to determine whether there is a need for Safeguards and/or Warnings, and to determine whether Safeguards and/or Warnings, if present, meet the needs for safety. If a requirement for Safeguarding or Warnings is determined to exist, the analysis includes determining whether either Safeguards or Warnings are the correct choice for safety, or if both should be provided.

Safeguards include physical guards (barriers of various types), light curtains, dual operating buttons, interlocks and safety instrumentation, restraints, and similar items and devices. Safeguards are provided specifically to prevent persons from encountering a hazard.

Our work with Safeguarding includes engineering analysis to determine the adequacy of the Safeguarding used in industrial and commercial operations and construction activities, and the adequacy of Safeguards used as components of industrial and commercial equipment and consumer products. The purpose of this work is to determine whether these Safeguards were installed and used in a manner that would assure the safety of these activities and items. The purpose of this work is also to determine whether the Safeguards were chosen as required by the Safety Design Hierarchy, and whether the Safeguards, and their use, met the requirements of Codes, Standards and Recommended Practices.

Residential, commercial, industrial, manufacturing and construction equipment, and components associated with this equipment, and associated facilities, are analyzed for the need and correct application of Safeguards. This analysis includes consideration of the role that Warnings might also serve for the installations analyzed.

Consumer products and residential, commercial and industrial facilities, considered separately from equipment, are also analyzed for the need and correct application of Safeguards. This analysis includes consideration of the role that Warnings might also serve for the installations analyzed.

Relationship of Safeguards to Warnings, Human Factors, Safety Design, and Codes & Standards

The use of Safeguards is based on knowledge from Human Factors and is an integral part of Safety Design. There is a long history of use of Safeguards, and many Safeguards that are routinely used have a history in use in various particular circumstances. Safeguards are enshrined in generally accepted Codes, Standards and Recommended Practices.

The choice of Safeguards as the design solution to safety hazards is based on the principles of the Safety Design and particularly the Safety Design Hierarchy, which is the accepted system for design of safe equipment, systems, products and facilities. The Safety Design Hierarchy requires that safety hazards be designed out of the equipment, products and facilities when possible. The Safety Design Hierarchy also requires that if the hazards cannot be designed out, Safeguards are to be used to protect against the hazards if this is possible. Only if hazards cannot be designed out and Safeguards are not possible are Warnings used as the sole response to hazards, to warn of the hazards.

In particular the Safety Design Hierarchy requires that Warnings not be used in place of designing out hazards or using Safeguards if designing out hazards is possible or Safeguards will protect against the hazard. If Safeguards will protect against the hazards, Warnings are often required as an adjunct to the Safeguards, not as a substitute for Safeguards. Safeguards and Warnings are not interchangeable.

Qualifications and Experience of James D. Madden, P.E. with Machine Guards and Safeguards

> as an integral part of the forensic engineering work for over 30 years:

> routinely analyze Safeguards and the related Warnings, and the requirements for Safeguards and Warnings, often performing engineering analyses to determine whether there is a need for Safeguards and/or Warnings, and to determine whether Safeguards and/or Warnings which are present meet the needs for safety, and whether whichever one was chosen was the correct choice for safety

> routinely use Human Factors and Safety Design principles, the bases for Safeguards, in engineering analysis of accidents, and equipment and facilities involved in accidents

> routinely use and interpret Codes and Standards and Recommended Practices, including requirements in these Codes and Standards for Safeguards

> took college coursework in Engineering and Normal Psychology, which are the bases of Human Factors and Safety Design, which in turn are the bases for Safeguards

> acquired personal knowledge of the use of Safeguards in practice while working in industrial facilities, for 1 1/2 years full time and then at a number of times over the following 15 1/2 years during shorter work periods at industrial facilities, up to 3 months at a time

> during 17 years working in industrial operations and design engineering, as an integral part of engineering design:

> analyzed and extensively used Safeguards and Warnings

> extensively used and interpreted Codes and Standards and Recommended Practices, including requirements in these Codes and Standards for Safeguards

> extensively used Human Factors and Safety Design, the bases for Safeguards

> two earned Engineering degrees, Bachelor of Science and Master of Engineering

> post-degrees college credit coursework, short courses and seminars on technical subjects over the years

> Professional Engineers (P.E.) license (earned by examination)

> Diplomate Forensic Engineer designation, granted for meeting the Council of Engineering and Scientific Specialty Boards requirements for Forensic Engineering

> over 40 years of engineering experience, with:

> 17 years experience in industrial operations, engineering design and construction assistance

> over 30 years experience in forensic engineering, to date

Consultation before starting a Case

Consultation with James D. Madden, PE, a Professional Engineer, Forensic

Engineer, Accident Reconstructionist and Consulting and Testifying Expert Witness,

is available before starting a case. We invite you to consult with us. There is

no charge for an initial phone consultation.

Call us at your convenience, or if you prefer we can schedule the consultation in advance, at a time that suits you.

Tap/Press to Call Us

Consultation during the Work

Consultation with James D. Madden, PE, a Professional Engineer, and Forensic

Engineering Consulting and Testifying Expert Witness, is available to the client at all

times during the work before, during, and after the investigation,

engineering analysis, reconstruction, report, and any other work on the case.

Our Typical Work Activities and Products, when warranted by the case

> inspection of the accident site, such as a roadway, outdoor facilities, building or industrial facilities

> inspection of the involved equipment, in post-accident condition, including in damaged condition (such as crashed vehicles)

> when the involved equipment is available for operation, inspection of the involved equipment (such as industrial equipment) during operation

> photography and/or video of the accident site and involved equipment

> testing accident items and exemplar items (such as consumer products)

> interviewing witnesses (often during the inspection of the accident site, product and/or equipment)

> review and study of case documents, evidence and applicable codes, standards, regulations and recommended practices

> performing engineering analysis and/or accident reconstruction, including preparing drawings, calculations, graphical analyses, computer analyses, etc. as required to analyze and/or reconstruct the accident, and to present the engineering analysis and reconstruction

> written reports and affidavits, and exhibits for reports and/or testimony

> coordinating or interfacing with others while they are preparing specialized exhibits such as video animations and videos of demonstrations

> testimony in deposition, trial and arbitration

For more detail go to the 'Activities & Products' page.

Presentation of the Results of our Work

> verbal reports, by telephone or in face-to-face conferences

> written reports and affidavits

> deposition testimony, including video deposition

> trial testimony and arbitration testimony

Our Work in Forensic Specialties

We do work in the following forensic specialties:

> consumer products

> industrial, commercial and construction equipment, machinery

> workplace - construction, industrial & commercial, etc., operations and facilities

> premises, building and property accidents, including slips, trips and falls

> traffic accidents, traffic crashes, including roadway design and condition

> chemicals, gases and materials

> equipment and industrial fires & explosions

> hazardous combustion, including causing carbon monoxide poisoning

with work in the following specialties as part of the work with the specialties listed above:

> human factors

> safety design

> safeguarding, guards

> warnings

> codes, standards and recommended practices.

For more details go to the individual pages by specific Specialty (for example, 'Consumer Products').

Geographic Area of Work is North America

Over the last 30 years we have regularly worked on accidents which occurred in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, New York and nearby, including inspections of accident sites, equipment, and facilities, with reports and testimony. During these 30 years we have also worked on accidents which occurred in other states, and equipment and facilities located in other states, with inspections of accident sites, equipment, and facilities, from Kansas and Utah to Vermont and North Carolina, with reports and testimony for these accidents, when applicable.

Contact Information

1700 West Market Street, Ste 318

Akron, Ohio 44313 (preferred)

8803 Brecksville Road, Ste 7216

Cleveland, Ohio 44141 (contact

us by phone or email before using this address)

maafe.com,
maddenfe.com

maddenforensicengineering.com

phone: 440-838-0640 (main),
440-832-9540 (alternate)

fax: 440-838-1192

Additional Information

Additional information is available on the internet/web/desktop version of:

maafe.com
maddenfe.com
maddenforensicengineering.com

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