MiTek has a couple of safety videos, built around the equipment we sell. One video is on saw safety, the other on truss production. Both are short (around 10 minutes) and are a great way to begin a safety meeting. I’ve taken some of the highlights from the truss production video and incorporated them into this article.
Restricted Zone
One of the best concepts of the Roof Truss Safety video is the concept of the Restricted Zone (also sometimes called the Safety Zone.) This is the area in and around the tables and conveyors, and extends to “far enough away from the production area such that no object (gantry head or truss) could possibly touch it." This is seen in yellow in the picture below. The Restricted Zone idea is a helpful concept for building awareness among plant workers. Whereas it is difficult for anyone to remember a long list of “do’s and don’ts, if the area defined as the Restricted Zone is clear in everyone's mind, it is easier to reinforce the basic concept – “Think when you enter this zone, you must be keely aware of what’s going on around you.”
Rules for the Restricted Zone
The video suggests everyone must be out of the Restricted Zone whenever equipment or product is moving. Note that the conveyors are just as much 'in the Zone' as the tables are. No one is to be on, between or under the equipment while it is moving. Further, the gantry operator is responsible for making sure his entire crew is out of the Zone before starting the gantry head. Each member of the crew is just as responsible for notifying the rest of the crew, particularly the gantry head operator, when entering the Zone. Awareness of the Restricted Zone can be reinforced if people use the term enough. Teaching the crew to call out to the lead person, "Entering the Restricted Zone!" when they are, in fact, entering it, is one way to do it. People are important, but care should also be taken that no equipment, such as carts or building materials should be within the Zone prior to machinery operation.
Other Important Safety Reminders
Never get your hand, limb, hair, or clothing near the gantry head or turning roller
Never use a piece of equipment for a purpose for which it was not designed
Equipment should not sit in or be surrounded by standing water
Never wear loose clothing, dangling necklaces, or large jewelry or permit long, flowing hair when operating or maintaining any equipment
Always of activate the emergency stop (the "estop") before working on a piece of equipment
A Purpose for Which It Was Not Designed
One example of a "purpose for which it was not designed" was the practice of hand feeding small trusses, such as jacks, into finish rollers. The potential for harm seems obvious enough. If this is ever done at your plant, consider at least training the crew to use a board to push the truss forward, rather than holding the truss with their hands in order to feed it into the roller.