Ansi standards combined with european hazard ranking methods provide plastic web processors with powerful tools for nehancing workplace safety

摘要

A set of four safety standards for film, sheet, coating & laminating, and plastic web winding machinery has been developed under the sponsorship of SPI, and accepted as consensus standards by ANSI. The author reviews some of the more significant requirements of these satandards. The standards represent an excellent tool against which to audit existing processing lines to identify hazards to personnel. The European Community has evolved a standard (EN 1050)*1 methodology for identifying and ranking the hazards in processing plants. This methodology is outlined in detail. By utilizing both of these approaches in tandem, hazards can be identified by the auditing against the appropriate ANSI standards, the identified hazards ranked for probable degree of harm to personnel, then safeguarding actions prioritized to obtain the most benefit from the minimum effort.