Emergency Stops

Status
Not open for further replies.
G

Greg S.

Member
Location
Nashville TN
Not sure if this is the correct forum to post this in but I have been impressed by a lot of other questions I have seen answered here.

I am trying to find out if anyone can cite a regulation such as CFR or standard, NFPA 79 or 70 that will tell me if there is a requirement for the distance between emergency stopping devices such as mushrooom head emergency stop pushbuttons. I have not been able to find anything except that they are to be readily accessible. The closest I have one e-stop is about 6-1/2' from the end of the machine. Someone told me there is a regulation of 12' between and within 6' of any point on the machine. andther told me there has to be one within xx' of a hazard. maybe they are referring to a CE standard for Europe or IEC. Does anyone have a something I will be able to refer my customer to? Thanks, Greg S.
 
W

WorkSafe

Senior Member
Location
Moore, OK
I know of no such specific distance requirement.

Like you mentioned, NFPA 79 states "where readily available to the operator."

You;ll find these stops typically located on the machine control panel or right near the point of operation.
 
pfalcon

pfalcon

Senior Member
Location
Indiana
No distance is ever given in any standard because the spacing is dependant on the design of the machine. Readily accessible is not the correct quote from the NFPA79

NFPA79:2007:10.7.4.1(1) said:
Where it is readily accessible to the operator
Click to expand...
emphasis added.

All of our safety people agree that a reasonable attempt must be made to place the E-Stop where the operator can reach it under the conditions for which it might be used.

Most machines are protected from entry by the operator at our site. Therefore they are located at the operator stations and require less than a full step to reach them.

Conveyor systems can trap an operator. Therefore we use a pull cord system so that the operator doesn't have to move when he can't.

In short, distance and placement is driven by hazard analysis of the machine, not a formula.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top