Entanglement and moving parts toolbox talk

What it is

Hair, clothing or limbs caught in, or struck by, the moving parts of plant and machinery, such as power take-offs, hoists and hydraulic arms.

Controls to check, most effective first

1. Fit fixed or interlocked guards over power take-offs, belts, chains, gears and other moving parts, and keep them in place.
2. Isolate and lock out plant before cleaning, clearing blockages or maintenance, and confirm it cannot restart.
3. Make sure emergency stops are within the operator's reach and are tested regularly.
4. Never reach past or remove guards while machinery is running, and keep other people clear of moving parts.
5. Tie back long hair and avoid loose clothing, jewellery and gloves that can catch on rotating parts.

Where it comes up on the job

Work steps from SafetyDocs templates that deal with entanglement and moving parts:

• Mixing wet pour rubberMix the wet pour rubber and control dust, fire and moving partsFrom Soft-fall Surface Removal and Installation
• Render mixing & applicationMix and apply render protected from wet cement, chemicals, moving parts and dustFrom Rendering
• SandingOperate the floor sander safely around moving parts, electricity, dust, heat and noise.From Timber Floor Sanding and Finishing
• Sanding/grinding fibreglassControl dust inhalation and contact with moving parts when sanding and grindingFrom Fibreglass Repairs

Questions for the crew

1. Where could entanglement and moving parts come up on this job today?
2. The most effective control is: “Fit fixed or interlocked guards over power take-offs, belts, chains, gears and other moving parts, and keep them in place”. Can we do that here? If not, why not?
3. Which controls for entanglement and moving parts are missing or not working on this site?
4. When would you stop work because of entanglement and moving parts, and who would you tell?
5. How do we report a hazard, a near miss or an incident on this job?