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Machine Guarding for Operators and Maintenance Workers
For people who run or maintain machines: recognize the hazards that must be guarded, know what a proper guard does, spot unguarded belts, pulleys, gears, chains and shafts within 7 feet of the floor, and follow the care rules for power-transmission equipment.
Based on OSHA 29 CFR 1910.212 (general requirements for all machines) and 1910.219 (mechanical power-transmission apparatus), general industry · about 5 min read
Need proof of training? The full course (15 min) adds practice questions, a job scenario, the final quiz and a certificate your employer can verify.
Machine guarding must protect the operator and other employees in the machine area. OSHA names these hazards as examples:
Point of operationThe area on a machine where work is actually performed on the material: where it cuts, shears, punches, bends or forms.
Ingoing nip pointsWhere two parts turn toward each other, like a belt running onto a pulley or two meshing gears. They pull in fingers, gloves, sleeves and hair.
Rotating partsShafts, couplings, collars and spindles that can catch clothing and wrap you in.
Flying chips and sparksMaterial thrown off by cutting, grinding and machining.
Guarding methods include barrier guards, two-hand tripping devices and electronic safety devices. Machines that usually need point of operation guarding include guillotine cutters, shears, alligator shears, power presses, milling machines, power saws, jointers, portable power tools, and forming rolls and calenders.
Is attached to the machine where possible, and secured elsewhere if it cannot be attached
Is not a hazard itself (no sharp edges or new pinch points)
At the point of operation, meets any specific standard for that machine, or if there is none, keeps any part of your body out of the danger zone during the operating cycle
Hand tools do not replace guards
Special hand tools for placing and removing material let you handle material without putting your hand in the danger zone. They cannot replace required guarding. They can only add to it.
Other things to check
Revolving drums, barrels and containers: enclosed by a guard interlocked with the drive, so they cannot turn unless the guard is in place
Fans: blades less than 7 feet above the floor or working level must be guarded, with openings no larger than 1/2 inch
Fixed machines: machines designed for a fixed location must be securely anchored so they cannot walk or move
Many power-transmission rules use the same height: 7 feet or less from the floor or working platform. In that zone, look for these guards:
Horizontal shafting: exposed parts protected by a stationary casing or a trough (except on runways used only for oiling or running adjustments)
Pulleys: guarded if any part is 7 feet or less from the floor or working platform
Sprocket wheels and chains: enclosed unless they are more than 7 feet above the floor or platform. Where the drive runs over other machines or work areas, protection against falling must be provided. Manually operated sprockets are not covered.
Clutches, cutoff couplings and clutch pulleys with projecting parts: enclosed by a stationary guard
Gears
Gears must be guarded by one of the methods the rule allows, such as a complete enclosure. Hand-operated gears used only to adjust machine parts, that stop moving when you let go, are not covered by that rule, although guarding them is highly recommended.
Exceptions exist. For example, some small, slow belts (250 feet per minute or less) are not covered. If you are not sure a part is covered, treat it as covered and ask.
Cracked pulleys: pulleys with cracks, or pieces broken out of the rims, must not be used. Take them out of service and report them.
Projections on revolving parts: projecting keys, setscrews and other projections must be removed, made flush, or guarded by a metal cover. (This does not apply inside gear or sprocket casings or other enclosures, or to keys, setscrews or oilcups in the hubs of pulleys less than 20 inches in diameter where they are within the plane of the pulley rim.)
Unused keyways: must be filled up or covered.
Shaft ends: must have a smooth edge and end and must not stick out more than one-half the shaft's diameter, unless guarded by nonrotating caps or safety sleeves.
All power-transmission equipment must be inspected at intervals not exceeding 60 days and kept in good working condition at all times.
Belts, lacings and fasteners must be inspected and kept in good repair.
Pulleys must be kept in proper alignment so belts do not run off.
Oiling
Regular oilers must wear tight-fitting clothing, so nothing loose can be caught.
Machinery must be oiled when not in motion, wherever possible.
Where frequent oiling must be done, there must be openings with hinged or sliding self-closing covers. Points that are hard to reach must have oil feed tubes if lubricant is added while the machinery is moving, so you do not reach in.
Fact-checked against the regulation text on October 09, 2026. This certificate records completion of awareness training based on OSHA 29 CFR 1910.212 and 1910.219. It is not an OSHA card or license. Those sections set machine guarding requirements and do not contain a training requirement, and this course does not cover lockout/tagout or the machine-specific standards for presses, saws and grinders. Follow your employer's procedures and instructions for the machines at your workplace.
This guide explains the rule in plain words. Always read the regulation itself and your employer's site-specific procedures.