Lafayette ME Safety Rules and Procedures
During working hours of the machine shop and project rooms, students are expected to follow specific rules to avoid any accidents. These include not being impaired (alcohol, drugs, exhaustion, etc.), consulting with technicians before machining, proper dress code (safety glasses, long pants, etc.), and many standard operating procedures for the individual machines. These rules also cover emergency incident procedures, prototype testing, and disposal of hazardous materials.
HARRT will follow the Lafayette College ME Safety Rules and Procedures at all times.
General Procedures
- In any fabrication workspace or while using any tool, HARRT members will:
- Wear safety glasses and closed-toe shoes.
- Tie back loose hair.
- Remove loose jewelery.
- Roll up loose sleeves.
- Wear additional PPE for any process that requires it.
- A Safety Assessment will be completed for each activity and test.
- Risk will be calculated using the Lafayette College ME Department Risk Matrix.
- The outcome of the Safety Assessment will be recorded in the HARRT Culmaltive Safety Assessment.
- An operation manual will be developed for the safe and intended use for each of the robot’s functions.
- To ensure the safety protocol remains relevant and comprehensive, reassessments will take place every 30 days or as soon as is reasonable after an incident.
- If an incident occurs, ALL testing/activities must come to a halt until the incident, safety protocol, and safety assessment for the test/activity that occurred are all reviewed.
- HARRT members will:
- Maintain a clean and organized work environment.
- Work within the specifications of materials and hardware.
- Set relevant and safe metrics and constraints.
Testing
Preparation
- A test that is determined to be at a risk level of 8 or higher will not be conducted until the risk level is reduced.
- For each test, the hazardous area will be determined and clearly marked. This shall be known as the “test area”.
- Nobody shall enter the test area for the entirety of the test.
- Prior to any test, an alarm will sound and the message “A test is about to take place, ensure you are clear of the testing area” will be read/played so that is audible to anyone who could be in the test area.
- A yellow light will flash indicating that a test is about to commence or is in progress.
- Any part that has the potential to move quickly and/or cause harm will be marked with a bright color to be more visible.
- Safety curtains and shields will be used if there is potential for any projectile that could cause harm.
- Prior to the start of any test, the test rig will undergo a pre-test check and an arming procedure.
- Emergency stop switches must be quickly and easily accessible.
- The risk assessment will determine the minimum number of switches and their location.
- Tests that are determined to be a risk level of 3 or higher require the use of a “deadman” switch – when released, power is immediately cut from the test stand.
- The test rig will only resume operation when all faults are cleared and the test rig is armed again.
- During all tests, HARRT members will:
- Ensure they are communicating clearly.
- Be cognizant of others and their safety in the area.
- Have a full understanding of the test.
Citations
- “Lafayette Mechanical Engineering Department Safety Rules and Procedures.” Lafayette Mechanical Engineering Department, 1 Sept. 2021.
- Hull, Tina, and Darrell Paul. “A Guide to Collaborative Robot Safety.” Tech Briefs, 23 May 2019, https://www.techbriefs.com/component/content/article/tb/pub/features/articles/34385.
- UL LLC . Robot_Certification_Guide_final_02, https://collateral-library-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/asset_file/attachment/26972/Robot_Certification_Guide_final_02.pdf. Accessed 27 Oct. 2021.
- OSHA. “United States Department of Labor.” Robotics – Standards | Occupational Safety and Health Administration, https://www.osha.gov/robotics/standards.