Conducting a Machine Guarding Safety Risk Assessment: Step-by-Step Guide

Machine guarding is crucial in protecting workers from injuries resulting from moving parts, sharp edges, and other mechanical hazards. Conducting a thorough safety risk assessment helps identify potential risks, ensures compliance with regulations, and guides the implementation of effective guarding solutions. 

Here’s a step-by-step guide to conducting a machine guarding safety risk assessment:

Step 1: Prepare and Gather Data

• Inventory Equipment: List all machinery and equipment in your facility, including asset numbers, descriptions, and locations. Utilize your CMMS or asset management system for accurate data.
• Exclude Obsolete Machines: Remove any outdated or unused equipment from the list.
• Document Facility Layout: Note facility size and departments to plan the assessment efficiently.

Step 2: Identify Hazards

• Walkthrough Inspection: Observe machines in operation and identify all moving parts, pinch points, sharp edges, and other hazards. Use BCG’s Safety Gauge to test guarding against compliance standards.
• Consult Operators: Interview machine operators and maintenance staff to understand risks and past incidents.
• Photograph and Document: Capture images and notes of hazards and existing guards for reference.

Step 3: Risk Assessment

• Evaluate Severity: Determine the potential injury severity if a hazard is realized (e.g., minor injury, permanent disability, fatality).
• Assess Likelihood: Estimate how likely the hazard is to cause harm based on frequency and exposure.
• Calculate Risk Score: Use a risk matrix or tools like BCG Guarding Risk Matrix to prioritize hazards. BCG offers expert assessments to help quantify these risks accurately.
• Review Existing Controls: Evaluate the effectiveness of current guarding and safety measures.

Step 4: Develop and Implement Controls

• Eliminate Hazards: Where possible, redesign processes or machinery to remove hazards.
• Engineering Controls:  Install physical guards, barriers, interlocks, or safety devices—such as custom solutions from Belt Conveyor Guarding (BCG)—to prevent access to dangerous parts.
• Administrative Controls: Establish safe work procedures, training, signage, and lockout/tagout protocols.
• Customize Solutions: Tailor guarding systems to your operational needs without compromising productivity or maintenance access.

Step 5: Train Employees

• Safety Training: Educate workers on machine hazards, proper use of guards, and safe operating procedures.
• Define Responsibilities: Clarify who may remove or adjust guards and under what conditions.
• Encourage Reporting: Promote immediate reporting of damaged or missing guards.

Step 6: Document and Review

• Maintain Records: Keep detailed documentation of assessments, control measures, and training activities.
• Periodic Reassessment: Schedule regular reviews to address new equipment, process changes, or incidents.
• Continuous Improvement: Update guarding solutions and procedures based on feedback and regulatory changes.

Why Choose BCG for Your Machine Guarding Assessment?

Belt Conveyor Guarding (BCG) offers specialized machine guarding safety assessments that go beyond compliance—they're designed to enhance worker safety, minimize operational disruptions, and support smarter budgeting and planning.

At the heart of our process is the BCG Guarding Risk Matrix—a proprietary tool designed to evaluate risk severity and likelihood across all types of rotating equipment and hazard points. This matrix helps organizations quantify potential hazards based on exposure frequency, injury severity, and existing controls, ensuring high-risk areas are prioritized with data-backed clarity. Download the BCG Guarding Risk Matrix here

Our expert team conducts detailed assessments aligned with OSHA, MSHA, and CSA regulations. Every assessment includes:

• A comprehensive risk score for each hazard zone using the BCG Guarding Risk Matrix
  
  
• Detailed documentation of guarding deficiencies and non-compliance areas
  
  
• Practical guarding solutions—often modular or custom-fit to ensure ergonomics and maintenance access
  
  
• Clear recommendations and transparent pricing—essential for project justification and capital planning
  
  

BCG’s reports aren’t just regulatory checklists. They’re actionable roadmaps designed for teams under pressure to keep operations safe, compliant, and productive.

Conclusion

Conducting a thorough machine guarding safety risk assessment isn’t just a safety best practice—it’s a proactive investment in uptime, compliance, and workforce confidence. By leveraging BCG’s deep expertise and industry-leading tools like the Guarding Risk Matrix, you gain more than just compliance—you gain control.

To schedule your custom assessment or learn more, visit our website or contact us directly.

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