To prevent further injury to a casualty or harm to emergency responders, machinery will need to be isolated and made safe. This can be achieved using a variety of methods, depending on the incident. For example, if the incident involved a casualty entrapped by the axle of a mode of transport, its engine may need to be isolated to prevent movement.
Personnel should be aware of the proximity of other moving parts of machinery; the equipment or component should be identified so that the corresponding machinery and power systems can be isolated. For further information refer to Industry – Isolate power supplies for on-site machinery.
If appropriate, personnel should consult with the on-site responsible person before commencing operations. It may be necessary to request specialist advice or equipment to control the movement of machinery, especially if the incident is not in an industrial context.
Machine guards should only be removed when it has been confirmed that the power to the machine has been isolated, and any moving parts have stopped.
If machinery safety devices, such as brakes and safety interlocks, have activated, they should not be overridden before careful consideration of the effect of their release. Releasing such safety devices could lead to uncontrolled movement of machinery and further injury to casualties or emergency responders.
Any specific hazards, or safe systems of work that are normally used when accessing the machine, should be identified through consultation with the on-site responsible person.
If machine rooms are locked, access should preferably be gained without force. For further information refer to Industry – Gain access or entry: Sites with security features.