At a glance
Key points
- Do not rely on the CE or UKCA mark alone.
- Check the exact machine against the supplied declaration and documentation.
- Review every operating, cleaning, clearing and maintenance task.
- Treat conveyors, services, guarding gaps and control links created on site as part of the risk picture.
- Resolve safety-critical defects before routine production and retain the evidence.
1. Start with the commercial specification—not the crate at the door
The best time to control machinery-safety risk is before the purchase order is final. State the intended products, speeds, operator tasks, cleaning method, site utilities, access constraints and required safeguarding outcomes. Ask for drawings, circuit information, safety-function descriptions, manuals and the proposed declaration before shipment.
A low purchase price can be outweighed by redesign, delayed commissioning and lost production if guarding, controls or documentation are unsuitable. Include acceptance criteria that let the buyer witness or review key safety functions before final payment.
- Defined UK installation and operating environment
- English-language instructions and safety information
- Electrical, pneumatic and hydraulic drawings
- Guarding layout and access-door schedule
- Safety-device and safety-control component list
- Declared standards and conformity route
- Factory acceptance evidence and outstanding-action process
2. CE and UKCA: understand what the mark does—and does not—tell you
For machinery placed on the market in Great Britain, the current product-safety rules and recognised marking routes must be checked for the date and circumstances of supply. A declaration should identify the manufacturer, product, applicable legislation and standards used. The model and serial information should match the machine delivered.
A mark does not prove that every detail is safe, that the equipment suits your process, or that the installation created on site is complete. The end user still has duties for work equipment in use. If your team combines machines into a new assembly, changes control logic or makes a substantial modification, additional conformity questions may arise.
3. Carry out a physical inspection against real tasks
Inspect the machine in the state in which it will be used. Run through production, setup, changeover, cleaning, fault recovery, jam clearing, tool change and maintenance. Look for access above, below, around and through guards, not only the obvious front opening.
| Area | Questions to ask |
|---|---|
| Fixed guards | Are panels robust, retained, correctly spaced and only removable with the intended method? |
| Movable guards | Do doors align, resist defeat and produce the required stop response when opened? |
| Protective devices | Are light curtains or scanners far enough from the hazard for the measured stopping performance? |
| Controls | Are start, stop, reset, mode selection and emergency functions clear and appropriate? |
| Isolation | Can energy sources be identified, locked off and dissipated for intervention? |
| Interfaces | Have conveyor openings, product feeds, extraction, access platforms and linked machines created new hazards? |
4. Check the safety-related control functions
Ask for a list of safety functions rather than a general statement that the machine has a safety PLC. Each function should define the initiating device, required response, operating modes, reset behaviour, diagnostics and assumptions. Check that the selected architecture and achieved performance are supported by calculations and component data where applicable.
During commissioning, test doors, locking, emergency stops, protective devices, muting, reset and fault behaviour. Confirm that defeating one device, losing power or creating a credible fault does not produce an unsafe restart. Record the test method and result.
5. Build an acceptance and action record
Classify findings by risk and production dependency. Some issues may require the machine to remain isolated until corrected; others can be managed through a planned engineering programme. Name the owner, target date and evidence required to close each action.
Retain the declaration, manuals, drawings, assessment, photographs, software backups, calculations, test records and final as-installed information together. That record is valuable when the machine is maintained, moved, modified or investigated later.
Sources and review basis
Authoritative references
This guide summarises general engineering considerations. Current legislation, guidance and standard editions should be confirmed for the specific project.
How Oxford Machine Guarding can help
We can survey the equipment, define the mechanical guarding and safety-system scope, develop the design, supply and install the solution, and provide testing and handover records appropriate to the agreed project boundary.
Important: this guide provides general technical information. It is not a substitute for a machine-specific risk assessment, legal advice, or verification by the responsible dutyholder.
