Conveyor inspection blitz results: 3,092 work orders

Guarding was the number one concern of compliance orders issued under a recent conveyor inspection blitz, reports Ontario’s Ministry of Labour. Conducted from November 1 to December 31, 2010, the blitz resulted in 3,092 orders issued against 833 workplaces¹. Of these orders, one third (944) involved machine guarding. The second and third most common orders involved maintaining equipment in good condition, and taking every precaution reasonable in the circumstance to protect workers.

Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS) machine guarding specialist Michael Wilson wonders whether the top three orders indicate a lack of awareness in workplaces of conveyor hazards. “If so,” says Wilson, “could there be other unrecognized hazards in these workplaces?”

Between 2005 and 2008, two Ontario workers died and 48 were seriously injured in conveyor incidents. “Conveyor-related injuries occur less often than other types of injuries,” notes Wilson, “which could contribute to a lack of awareness. However, these injuries are often more severe.”

Conveyors are essential equipment for agricultural, industrial and service operations. The safety and productivity benefits can be substantial: reducing worker exposure to heavy or hazardous materials, and increasing efficiency by freeing up workers’ time that would otherwise be spent on manual materials handling, and speeding up the movement of goods. Conversely, conveyor down time can dramatically reduce productivity. If conveyors go down because of a worker injury, the consequences can be catastrophic. “Conveyors have no conscience. When they catch a finger or a sleeve, they’re not going to let go,” says Wilson.

“Contact with any machinery, including conveyors, is a top concern of WSPS and the Ministry of Labour,” says Wilson. He encourages employers to take a broader look at all potential machinery hazards in their workplace. “Safety is everybody’s responsibility,” he says, “and as the blitz results indicate, a number of employers are not living up to their responsibility.”

What inspectors looked for

During the conveyor blitz, inspectors checked that

• conveyors had proper guarding devices
• conveyors area were locked out when needed
  • conveyor workers were protected from developing MSDs.

MOL inspectors visited workplaces and sectors that typically use conveyors, including:

• farming operations
• large bakeries
• food and beverage manufacturers
• waste recycling
• cement plants
• auto sector
• printing sector
• soil screening operations for landscaping
• saw mills
• chemical plants
• pharmaceutical plants
• automotive plants
• computer plants
• electronic plants

In particular, inspectors targeted establishments

• known to have conveyors
• known to have hazardous processes and equipment
• where complaints have been received
• where there is a poor compliance history.

Inspection outcomes

During the conveyor blitz, inspectors issued orders at almost twice the typical rate for the industrial sector health and safety enforcement program. The ratio of stop-work orders per field visit during the blitz was also twice the typical rate, representing one in 10 of every order issued against mobile equipment.

Implications for future blitzes

The results of this blitz, says the ministry, confirm the need to continue enforcement activity on guarding violations that expose workers to moving parts and pinch points. As a result of the findings, expect the new and young worker blitz beginning this month, as well as routine inspections, to focus on guarding and lockout issues.

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