Considering the high number of accidents that occur during adjusting and setting four sided-planer moulders, how should setting be done safely, particularly on an old machine?
During setting it is a requirement for the heads to be running as the trial piece of material is ‘inched through’ the machine and the cutters are correctly adjusted. Old machines may not have the remote setting /adjusting mode of newer machines and in some cases cutter adjustment must take place locally. Where an enclosure has been fitted the setter therefore has to work inside it. In these circumstances, if interlocks were fitted to the doors they would have to be closed to allow the machine to run. The setter would therefore be required to work alone inside the sealed enclosure and this could increase the safety risk. In addition, there will also be a higher exposure to noise and dust. This is why careful consideration is needed before fitting interlocks on the enclosure doors. Other options, such as a lock with controlled key access, may be more appropriate. During setting operations it is very important that all cutters have been effectively guarded and this is normally achieved in
