Methodology for Complex Efficiency Evaluation of Machinery Safety Measures in a Production Organization

Abstract

Even though the rules for the free circulation of machinery within the European Union (EU) market have existed for more than 30 years, accidents related to their activities have constantly been reaching significant value. When designing a machine, the design must stem from a risk assessment, where all stages of its life cycle and the ways to use it must be taken into consideration. In industrial operations with old machinery, despite fulfilling its function reliably, the safety level is below the developing requirements for safe operations. The proposed methodology to assess machinery safety conditions comes from the assumption of the proper application of risk assessment steps and their effectiveness in risk reduction mainly through implementing both effective and efficient preventive measures. The objective of the research applied in three operations was to verify the methods concerning machinery safety and its management. The created methodology, based on 19 requirements for safety, evaluates the level of current measures using a criterion of the current safety status and the total effectiveness of safety measures. Its output is the assessment of the efficiency level of the implemented safety measures of each machine as well as of the whole operation.