Victoria Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017 r99: r 99 Employer requirements for plant guarding

Where a self-employed person or employer relies on guarding, it must, as far as reasonably practicable, prevent access to the danger area. The guard type must follow this order: a permanently fixed barrier if access is not needed for operation, maintenance or cleaning; an interlocked barrier allowing entry only when the area is safe if access is needed; a barrier removable or alterable only with tools if neither is reasonably practicable; and otherwise a presence-sensing safeguard which removes the risk while any part of a person is inside the guarded area. Guarding must make defeating it, deliberately or accidentally, as hard as reasonably possible and must not create a risk itself. Where moving parts may break or eject workpieces, the guarding must eliminate that risk or, if that is not reasonably practicable, reduce it as far as reasonably practicable. Guards may be removable for repair, servicing, maintenance and cleaning while the plant is out of normal operation.