A recent court case offers two important lessons for employers looking to prevent pinch point injuries on machines, says Rafik Zaki, WSPS Specialized Consultant, Machines and Robotics Safety. First, make sure you identify all pinch point hazards on machines, not just the obvious ones. Second, when selecting safeguarding, follow the guidelines set out in machine guarding standards to ensure you don’t inadvertently create new hazards. “This advice applies to all mechanical hazards on machines,” notes Rafik. 

The worker involved, employed by a temporary help agency, was working on a conveyor line. After standing for an extended period, they sat on a guardrail parallel to the conveyor. They rested one foot on a step platform outside the guardrail while extending their other leg through a 16-inch space between the guardrail and the conveyor, resting it on the lower frame of the conveyor. While in this position, the worker lost their balance and was seriously injured by a pinch point on the conveyor.

The employer was found guilty of failing to guard a pinch point on a conveyor, as required by section 25 of Ontario Regulation 851/90 under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) and fined $85,000. 

Key takeaways from the case

A pinch point is a gap where hair, clothing, fingers or other body parts can get caught between moving parts or between stationary and moving parts. Contact with pinch points can result in cuts and lacerations, or worse, amputations, crush injuries and even death. 

When purchasing equipment like conveyors, it’s the end user's responsibility to provide guarding to prevent worker access to pinch points and other mechanical hazards, says Rafik. Manufacturers typically do not supply guarding because the equipment is used in different applications by end users. 

The first step is to identify all the pinch points on the machine. “It’s not enough to focus on guarding the belt and roller at the head and tail of the conveyor, without checking for openings underneath,” notes Rafik. The next step is to install the appropriate guarding.

He notes that guarding should be designed, manufactured and installed by competent and qualified persons. This could include an in-house engineer, a machine expert employed by the manufacturer, or a machine integrator. 

The expert will take applicable standards into consideration. These include, but are not limited to:

• CSA standard Z432, which outlines requirements for the design, manufacture, installation, maintenance, operation, and safeguarding of industrial equipment to prevent injuries and accidents; and
• ISO 13855 and 13857, which provide guidance on the positioning and distance of safeguards in relation to the human body. 

“Taking standards into consideration ensures that no new hazards are created when safeguarding is installed,” says Rafik. “The injury described in the court case occurred because there was a 16-inch space between the guardrail and the conveyor. The guardrail was intended to keep workers away from the machine, but it inadvertently created a gap, which allowed access to a pinch point.” 

“It’s important to examine machinery for pinch points both before and after the installation of guarding,” notes Rafik.

6 steps to prevent access to pinch points

1. Identify pinch point hazards on new and existing equipment. Involve stakeholders, such as the engineer, a consultant or other machine expert, as well as the safety manager, maintenance staff, and a joint health and safety committee worker member. “Use the AUTO principle to identify machine safety risks (Around, Under, Through, and Over),” suggests Rafik. 

2. Choose the proper controls. The hierarchy of controls sets out the most effective ways to protect workers from harm, including hazard source elimination or substitution, engineering controls, awareness and administrative controls, and personal protective equipment. “When elimination and substitution are not possible, engineering controls (machine guarding) can be used with awareness and administrative controls, such as safety training, procedures and warning signs,” notes Rafik.

3. Select the proper guarding. An engineer or other qualified person will look at the design of the machine, what’s being manufactured, how it operates, how workers perform their tasks, and other factors to determine the appropriate guarding. Guarding can be:

•  fixed (a permanent physical barrier),
• adjustable (a guard that can be manually adjusted to suit different operations), or
• removable (a guard that can be taken off periodically for maintenance).

“Once installed, adjustable and removable guards can only be removed by workers who have received special training on lock out and tag out and other control methods,” says Rafik. 

4. Install guarding, guardrails and other protective devices. Make sure no new pinch point hazards are created during the guard installation. Selecting the appropriate safety device depends on each application and how workers interact with machines. Safety devices may include safety interlocking switches, safety light curtains, safety scanners, safety pressure mats, and/or two hand operator controls. 

5. Develop safe work procedures in writing and train workers. Provide comprehensive training on hazards associated with particular machines, safety devices, and safe work procedures. Stipulate that guards can only be removed by authorized people. “Workers also need to know how and when to report problems with the guards,’ says Rafik. 

Note: Temporary help agencies provide generic training on health and safety, but it’s the employers’ responsibility to provide site-specific training to temporary workers. 

6. Increase awareness of pinch points and other machinery hazards among employees. Hold a safety talk, bring in an expert, and place warning labels, such as “do not remove the guard” around conveyors, drive shafts, gears or sprockets that may generate hazards. 

How WSPS can help

Our consultants can help you identify the pinch point hazards in your workplace, carry out risk assessments, offer advice on machine guards, and more. Connect with a consultant.

Training 

• Safeguarding of Machinery: Understanding & Applying CSA Z432 (online instructor-led training, 1 day)
• Managing Machine Safety (online instructor-led training, 4 hours)
• JHSC Certification Training Part One (online instructor-led training, 3 days)
• JHSC Certification Training Part Two (online instructor-led training 2 days)
• Lockout/Tagout Safety Essentials (online instructor-led training, ½ day)
• Lockout Tagout (eCourse, 1 hour)
• Hazard Identification, Assessment and Control (eCourse, 3 hours)

Resources

• Mechanical Safeguarding Poster: MAC & AUTO
• Manufacturing safety resources available in 6 languages: Lockout Tagout- Staying Safe with Hazardous Energy; Machine and Conveyor Safety (articles and videos)
• Why PPE should be your last choice when it comes to workplace hazards: Using the hierarchy of controls (article)
• Working safely with machines (article)
• Warehouse Safety Tips - 6: Conveyor Safety at Your Facility (video)
• WSPS Safety Tips - Machine Safeguarding: Control Hazardous Energy with a Lockout Program (video)
• WSPS Safety Tips - Machine Safeguarding: Safeguard Your Machines (video) 

Events

• Register for Partners in Prevention 2025 Central Regional Health & Safety Conference in Mississauga on May 27 and learn more about contractor safety  during this session: 
  • Contractor Safety: Legal Obligations as an Employer - David Reiter, Partner, Occupational Health & Safety Group, Aird & Berlis LLP - As companies increasingly rely on independent contractors, they must understand their legal responsibilities, especially regarding workplace injuries. Neglecting these obligations can expose businesses to significant risks. Join David Reiter, Partner at Aird & Berlis LLP, as he explains the legal implications of hiring contractors and handling on-site injuries.

The information in this article is accurate as of its publication date.