With all the challenges of running a business it can be hard to keep up with the growing mountain of rules, regulations and legislation – and all too easy to overlook or postpone compliance “until a quieter time”.
Of course, the quieter time never arrives and the mountain just grows larger.
However, when it comes to safety in the workplace, there should be no higher priority. Not only because responsible employers will want to ensure the safety of their workers, but also because of the severe financial and other penalties that can be incurred in the event of an accident.
All woodworking machinery users – including sawmills, timber and builders merchants, DIY stores, joinery, furniture and double-glazing manufacturers, schools and colleges and the self-employed – will be aware of the 1998 Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) and the associated woodworking Approved Code of Practice (ACoP).
Rundown time
One of the key requirements is to reduce the rundown time of tool spindles. In many cases this will mean retro-fitting braking systems if there is a risk of coming into contact with the tool during rundown and the normal stopping time is greater than 10 seconds.
The ACoP includes a list of machines for which braking is deemed necessary, and gives deadlines by which this must be done (see table). These extended deadlines were intended to ease the financial burden on employers and give time for planning the upgrading of machines in terms of production schedules.
Although the required stopping time is 10 seconds for many types of woodworking machinery, it is recognised that for some larger machines – including resaws – stopping within this time could damage the machine and be dangerous to operators. The key rule is that the machine should be brought to a safe stop and that the rundown time should be less than start-up time, with an absolute maximum of 35 seconds.
Several approved methods of braking are listed in the ACoP, but the most popular – and certainly for larger machines – is DC injection braking.
Good news
The good news is that DC injection braking units are compact, cost-effective and easy to retrofit, and have the additional advantage of being maintenance-free (since there are no wear parts).
The bad news is that many organisations are looking at December 5 as a “date for compliance” rather than as the final deadline and there is a risk that the sudden surge in demand as the date approaches could overwhelm the capacity of machinery manufacturers and specialist companies that offer retro-fit braking services.
Don’t run the risk of operating illegally by leaving it until the last minute. If you haven’t yet fitted braking to machines listed in the ACoP, start planning now.
