Best Practice 2: Document Each Time a New or Used Abrasive Wheel is Mounted

A mounting log (Appendix 2) identifies who mounted the wheel, as well as when and whether the wheel was visually inspected and ring tested before being mounted. A ring test is one method of checking whether a wheel is cracked or damaged. OSHA (1996) concisely describes this test in Section 1910.215(d)(1) of its abrasive wheel machinery rule: “Wheels should be tapped gently with a light nonmetallic implement such as the handle of a screwdriver for light wheels, or a wooden mallet for heavier wheels. If they sound cracked (dead), they shall not be used.” The first entry on this log confirms that the employee who mounted the wheel has been properly trained and that his/her training is still valid. The second entry addresses a critical issue: A damaged or cracked wheel is dangerous, and microscopic cracks are impossible to see with a naked eye. Thus, an employee should closely examine an abrasive wheel and ring test it before mounting it to ensure that the wheel is free of cracks and other defects that can lead to failures during use. A written tracking system also reminds workers to always examine and test a wheel before installation, and it helps monitor compliance to these critical safety rules. In addition, this log (Figure 2) provides evidence of an employer’s good faith effort to comply with OSHA standards, and it can be useful when investigating an injury involving a grinder.

Best Practice 3: Permanently Mark an Exclusion Zone on the Floor Around the Grinder

Permanently marking an exclusion zone on the floor around the grinder serves several purposes. It visually alerts employees and visitors to potentially hazardous areas (Figure 3). With the exclusion zone marked, for instance, in yellow and black, combustible dusts are identified quickly and dealt with before they accumulate. Floor markings also remind employees that storage in this area is prohibited, and will make inadequate storage issues more apparent to management.

Safety labels and signs with important reminders, when used in conjunction with floor marking, create a visually instructive workplace – that is, a workplace where not only is the information embedded in the environment, but also employees or visitors can easily understand how a workplace operates. Galsworth (2005) reports that an easier-to-understand workplace is more efficient, productive and safe. According to Galsworth (2005), a “visual workplace is a work environment that is self-ordering, self-explaining, self-regulating and self-improving—where what is supposed to happen does happen, on time, every time, because of visual solutions” (p. 10). A visual workplace helps improve safety in several ways. To successfully create a safe work environment, safe behaviors taught must be reinforced and visuals reinforce teaching. In a busy and cramped plant, controlling the flow of people and powered industrial vehicles is an important safety concern. Marking permanent aisles and passageways is not just good practice, it is an OSHA mandate (CFR 1910.22). In a visual workplace, the environment is clean, well ordered, self-explaining and self-regulating. As a result, people are able to recognize prenear-hit conditions quickly and take corrective measures before incidents occur.

Best Practice 4: Display the Grinder’s RPM Near the Device

All grinders and abrasive wheels are rated for a maximum operating speed, usually expressed in revolutions per minute (RPM). A wheel that is operated above its rated maximum speed may shatter. If a wheel shatters while in use, an employee may be seriously injured by pieces of shattered grinding wheel flying at high speed. Therefore, the wheel’s RPM rating must be equal to or higher than the grinder’s RPM, never lower (OSHA, 1996).  To effectively implement this control, the grinder’s RPM rating must be legible. For various reasons, ranging from poor maintenance and poor housekeeping, to absence of the machine data plate, the rating is not always clearly visible. Even when the rating does exist, may be difficult to discern without careful examination (Figure 4). If something cannot be easily seen or understood, it will not likely be used or heeded. In order to enhance good safety behavior and compliance to safe work procedures and practices, the efforts asked of operators must be kept to the minimum. Therefore, conspicuously posting the grinder’s RPM rating encourages worker compliance (Figure 5).

Best Practice 5: Install a Cabinet Containing Safety Glasses, a Face Shield & Disinfectant Wipes Near the Grinder

Grinder use typically releases airborne particles and generates impact hazards such as sparks, flying objects, fragments and particles. Thus, operating risks include eye and face injuries. Basic eye protection devices such as goggles or safety glasses do not protect other parts of the face. Therefore, OSHA requires that a face shield be worn over suitable basic eye protection for additional protection beyond that offered by eye protection devices alone. To eliminate health risks, safety glasses and/or face shields must be cleaned and disinfected before each use, especially when the gear is shared. In addition, having required PPE readily available at the point of use and protected from dusts encourages worker use (Figure 6). It is important to note that safety glasses/goggles and a face shield are the minimum required PPE. Certain circumstances may require additional gear (e.g., respirators, hearing protection).

Best Practice 6: Install a Safety Gauge Near the Grinder

A common grinder-related safety violation is related to clearances. OSHA (1996) specifies that work rests must be kept close to the wheel with a maximum opening of 1/8 in. As the stone wears down from use, the rest and guard must be adjusted accordingly. This is critical because too large a gap enables the wheel to grab the workpiece or anything loose that could get caught in the machine (e.g., loose hair, dangling jewelry, a long-sleeved shirt not buttoned at the wrist) and pull everything into the grinder, which may cause serious injuries. OSHA also states that the distance between the grinding wheel and the adjustable tongue must never exceed ¼ in. A safety gauge helps employees measure these clearances easily and accurately (Figure 7).

Best Practice 7: Conduct & Document Grinder Inspections at Least Monthly

Best Practice 8: Display Signs to Remind Employees of Proper Controls

Best Practice 9: Good Housekeeping & Cleanliness Improve Grinder Safety

Conducting abrasive wheel grinding operations creates combustible dusts and sparks. Accumulated combustible dusts can ignite and a deflagration can occur. Therefore, the area around the grinder must be free of all accumulated dust. Employees should clean the work area with a portable dust collecter as needed, such as any time they observe noticeable traces of dust, to minimize dust buildup on the machinery and the surrounding workspace. The permanent floor marking around the grinder can also quickly alert management to poor housekeeping practices that require correction (Figure 8).

Best Practice 10: Conduct Training Annually, When Changes Occur Based on Inspection Findings