Citation

Mewes D, Trapp RP. Int. J. Occup. Safety Ergonomics 2000; 6(4): 507-520.

Affiliation

Institute for Occupational Safety of the Accident Insurance Institutions (BIA), Sankt Augustin, Germany. D.Mewes@hvbg.de

Copyright

(Copyright © 2000, Centralny Instytut Ochrony Pracy - Państwowy Instytut Badawczy, Publisher Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

11135682

Abstract

Guards on machine tools are meant to protect operators from injuries caused by tools, workpieces, and fragments hurled out of the machine's working zone. This article presents the impact resistance requirements, which guards according to European safety standards for machine tools must satisfy. Based upon these standards the impact resistance of different guard materials was determined using cylindrical steel projectiles. Polycarbonate proves to be a suitable material for vision panels because of its high energy absorption capacity. The impact resistance of 8-mm thick polycarbonate is roughly equal to that of a 3-mm thick steel sheet Fe P01. The limited ageing stability, however, makes it necessary to protect polycarbonate against cooling lubricants by means of additional panes on both sides.