Safeguards are essential for protecting operators from needless and preventable injuries.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires guarding for any machine where machine parts, functions or processes may cause injury. The need for machine guarding may be found in machine shops in academic departments, maintenance shops, print shops and other areas where mechanical equipment is used.

Any machine part, function or process which may cause injury must be safeguarded. When the operation of a machine, or accidental contact with it, can injure the operator or others in the vicinity, the hazards must be either controlled or eliminated.