1910.212(a): Machine guarding
Machines must be guarded to protect the operator and everyone else in the machine area from hazards such as the point of operation, ingoing nip points, rotating parts, and flying chips and sparks. Guards should be attached to the machine where possible and must not create a hazard themselves. The point of operation must be guarded so no part of the body can be in the danger zone during the operating cycle; special hand tools can add protection but never replace a guard. Revolving drums, barrels and containers need interlocked enclosures, and fan blades less than 7 feet above the floor or working level must be guarded.
Key takeaways
- 1910.212(a) is part of OSHA's general industry standards (29 CFR Part 1910, Subpart O).
- OSHA cited it 6,817 times in the last 3 years, in 6,311 inspections, with $42,309,652 in current penalties.
- 39 deaths are linked to inspections that cited this rule.
- Most citations: OH (459), TX (437), WI (417).
- Related part: 1910.212(a)(1) Types of guarding (4,605 citations).
- Free 5-minute toolbox talk for your crew below.
In this article
What this rule covers
29 CFR 1910.212(a) ("Machine guarding") is one requirement inside 1910.212 General requirements for all machines, an OSHA general industry standard (Part 1910, Subpart O). It includes 9 sub-paragraphs. The official text below is copied word for word from the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR). The numbers, injury cases and training on this page show how OSHA enforces it on real job sites.
Official text
(a) Machine guarding — 6,817 citations
(1) Types of guarding. One or more methods of machine guarding shall be provided to protect the operator and other employees in the machine area from hazards such as those created by point of operation, ingoing nip points, rotating parts, flying chips and sparks. Examples of guarding methods are—barrier guards, two-hand tripping devices, electronic safety devices, etc. Open (a)(1) 4,605 citations
(2) General requirements for machine guards. Guards shall be affixed to the machine where possible and secured elsewhere if for any reason attachment to the machine is not possible. The guard shall be such that it does not offer an accident hazard in itself. Open (a)(2) 219 citations
(3) Point of operation guarding. Open (a)(3) 1,830 citations
(i) Point of operation is the area on a machine where work is actually performed upon the material being processed. Open (a)(3)(i) 17 citations
(ii) The point of operation of machines whose operation exposes an employee to injury, shall be guarded. The guarding device shall be in conformity with any appropriate standards therefor, or, in the absence of applicable specific standards, shall be so designed and constructed as to prevent the operator from having any part of his body in the danger zone during the operating cycle. Open (a)(3)(ii) 1,645 citations
(iii) Special handtools for placing and removing material shall be such as to permit easy handling of material without the operator placing a hand in the danger zone. Such tools shall not be in lieu of other guarding required by this section, but can only be used to supplement protection provided. Open (a)(3)(iii) 121 citations
(iv) The following are some of the machines which usually require point of operation guarding: Open (a)(3)(iv) 39 citations
(a) Guillotine cutters.
(b) Shears.
(c) Alligator shears.
(d) Power presses.
(e) Milling machines.
(f) Power saws.
(g) Jointers.
(h) Portable power tools.
(i) Forming rolls and calenders.
(4) Barrels, containers, and drums. Revolving drums, barrels, and containers shall be guarded by an enclosure which is interlocked with the drive mechanism, so that the barrel, drum, or container cannot revolve unless the guard enclosure is in place. Open (a)(4) 28 citations
(5) Exposure of blades. When the periphery of the blades of a fan is less than seven (7) feet above the floor or working level, the blades shall be guarded. The guard shall have openings no larger than one-half (1⁄2) inch. Open (a)(5) 121 citations
Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15. Read all of 1910.212.
Injuries linked to this rule
39 deaths are linked to inspections where OSHA cited 1910.212(a).
An employee was fabricating a part for an agricultural wagon using a drill presswhen it fell onto his head, causing multiple fatal injuries to the employee.
Full case list with employer, penalty, filters and download is part of OSHA Data (Purple Belt).
Unlock with Purple BeltWhere and how often it was cited
| Year | Citations |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 442 |
| 2024 | 2,493 |
| 2025 | 2,367 |
| 2026 | 1,515 |
Top states: OH (459), TX (437), WI (417), IL (405), PA (374)
Largest penalties
| Employer | Location | Penalty for this rule |
|---|---|---|
| THE GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY | DANVILLE, VA | $185,555 |
| HUBBELL POWER SYSTEMS, INC. | BOONTON TOWNSHIP, NJ | $165,514 |
| 111367 - LINDAR CORPORATION | BAXTER, MN | $165,514 |
| VIRGINIA TRANSFORMER CORP. | ROANOKE, VA | $162,849 |
| ATLAS TUBE (ALABAMA), INC. | BIRMINGHAM, AL | $161,323 |
Free toolbox talk
A 5-minute crew talk on 1910.212(a), plus alerts when this rule changes. Free.
OSHA interpretation letters
- Trip and Emergency Switches on Mills and Calenders (2021-08-31)
- Guarding and the use of abrasive wheels in CNC contouring machines. (2008-05-16)
- Several questions regarding OSHA's LOTO and Bakery standards 29 CFR 1910.147 and 1910.263. (2006-08-25)
- Lockout/tagout requirements for servicing manually-controlled vertical/horizontal milling machine and drill press tool changes. (2005-08-24)
- Machine guarding and exposure to hazards from robotic laundry shuttles. (2005-07-07)
- Lock out/Tag out (LOTO) requirements for die-setting operations in hydraulic power presses. (2005-04-22)
- Use of the European Norms and European Community machinery directive to comply with the 1910.212 "General [guarding] requirements for all machines." (2005-02-08)
- Use of laser guarding devices for hydraulic press brakes (2004-03-25)
- Use of laser guarding systems with hydraulic press brakes (2004-02-11)
- Maximum permissible guard openings for blade guards on cooling fans (2003-08-21)
- Use of Electro Sensitive Protection Equipment as point of operation guarding devices. (2001-06-05)
- Guarding requirements and options for packaging and pelletizing machines. (1999-12-08)
- OSHA enforcement policy on vertical food mixers. (1999-02-26)
- Requirements for machine guarding of screw machines. (1998-10-09)
- Standard 1910.212 in regards to its applicability to guard an area above the ram/piston on a vertical hydraulic downstroke/trash compactor. (1994-09-20)
- Presence Sensing Palm Button Devices (PSPBD). (1992-08-05)
- Characteristics of the Quick-Link device for the replacement of tire chain links. (1991-07-29)
- Requirements for guarding points of operation and belts on heavy duty sewing machines (1991-07-09)
- Clarification of Scope of OSHA Instruction STD 1-12.22 (1991-04-15)
- The point of operation and rotating part hazards related to vertical food mixers in bakeries and restaurants are covered by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards. (1991-03-19)
- Machine Guarding (1991-03-04)
- Point of operation guarding for the AMPOMATOR CLS II Wire Terminal Machine (1991-01-08)
- Point-of-operation guards for drill presses and lathes. (1990-10-15)
- Machine guarding for drilling operations. (1990-03-21)
- The feasibility of OSHA's machine guarding requirements in their workplace. (1989-08-03)
Related parts of this rule
- 1910.212(a)(1) Types of guarding 4,605 citations
- 1910.212(a)(3) Point of operation guarding 1,830 citations
- 1910.212(a)(3)(ii) 1,645 citations
- 1910.212(a)(2) General requirements for machine guards 219 citations
- 1910.212(a)(3)(iii) 121 citations
- 1910.212(a)(5) Exposure of blades 121 citations
- 1910.212(a)(3)(iv) 39 citations
- 1910.212(a)(4) Barrels, containers, and drums 28 citations
- 1910.212(a)(3)(i) 17 citations
Get your crew competent
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Frequently asked questions
Can push sticks or hand tools replace a machine guard?
No. Special hand tools for placing and removing material may only supplement the guarding required by 1910.212. They cannot be used instead of it.
Which machines usually need point-of-operation guarding?
The standard lists guillotine cutters, shears, alligator shears, power presses, milling machines, power saws, jointers, portable power tools, and forming rolls and calenders.
When do fan blades need a guard?
When the edge of the blades is less than 7 feet above the floor or working level.
About this page
Sources
- 29 CFR 1910.212 (eCFR), text current as of 2026-10-15
- U.S. Department of Labor enforcement data: OSHA inspections, citations and accident records, copied nightly; data as of 2026-10-20
3-year window. Federal OSHA only; state-plan rules are not counted. Plain-language text is a summary, not legal advice; the official text controls. Black Belt Safety is not part of OSHA or the Department of Labor.