Machine safeguards

Refer to Work Health and Safety Regulation 2025:

  • 36 – 38 risk control measures
  • 203 – Management of risks to health and safety
  • 208 – Guarding

(2) The person with management or control of the plant must ensure that -

(a) “…the guarding is a permanently fixed physical barrier…”, or

(b) “…the guarding is an interlocked physical barrier…”, or

(c) “…the guarding used is a physical barrier that can only be altered or removed by the use of tools…”, or

(d) if it is not reasonably practicable to use guarding referred to in paragraph (a), (b) or (c), - the guarding includes a presence-sensing safeguarding system that eliminates a risk arising from the area of the plant requiring guarding while a person or a part of a person is in the area being guarded.

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Figure 1: A wood-chipping machine with in-feed rollers and a cutting disc.  Source: Guide to managing risks of tree trimming and removal work, SafeWork Australia

Rotating in-feed rollers and the cutting disc or drum are the most hazardous components of wood-chipping machines.

The in-feed rollers and cutting disc are shown in Figure 1. These components may cause fatal or serious injuries to wood-chipper operators if they reach into the machine past the safety curtain (refer to Figure 2 - next page) or control bar.

Access to the cutting disc and in-feed rollers from the side or top of the unit can be prevented by a fixed or interlocked guard or covers.

Guarding of the cutting disc

Access to the cutting disc or drum can be prevented by providing interlocked physical barriers.

These may include:

  • electronic interlocked systems e.g. motion control sensors or timed solenoids, or
  • mechanical interlocking systems e.g. the method of attachment (bolts, screws) of any access hatch or cover over the cutting disc, or
  • drum requires the time taken to remove the bolts or screws is longer than the time taken for the disc or drum to come to a complete stop after the power has been isolated (run down time) – a disc or drum chipper can have a run down time of up to five minutes if it is an un-clutched system.3
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