Equipment Standards, Authorization and Use Policy

Effective: September 2000
Reviewed: June 2023
Revised: June 2023
Signature/Position: Vice-President, Finance and Operations

Applicable Legislation

Occupational Health and Safety Act of Ontario, R.S.O. 1990

O.Reg. 851 R.R.O.1990 (as amended), Industrial Establishments

CSA Z432 Safeguarding of Machinery

Applicability

This Policy applies to all University employees (faculty, staff), students, volunteers and contractors conducting work or research at the University of Guelph.

Policy Statements

1. Supervisors and employees shall ensure that tools and equipment are maintained and are safe for all conditions of intended use.
2. Employees, students, volunteers and visitors shall be trained in the safe and proper inspection and use of tools, machinery and equipment that they are authorized to use, including any emergency shut offs. 
3. Only those appropriately trained and authorized shall operate equipment. Records of training and the authorized users’ names shall be maintained by the workplace supervisor.
4. Supervisors shall provide personal protective equipment (PPE), as necessary, to protect authorized users from potential hazards encountered in their work area.   
5. The manufacturer’s instructions for use shall be retained and made available to equipment users.
6. The University shall consider, where practicable, the characteristics of equipment to be obtained including but not limited to vibration, noise, ergonomics, and substances used or produced by the equipment, for example, emissions.
7. Standard operating procedures (SOP’s) shall be written by supervisors for work or use of equipment that has the potential to cause injury and/or occupational illness. 
8. Preventative maintenance programs shall be established for equipment as recommended by the manufacturer.
9. Tools, machinery, and equipment shall be inspected by authorized users before use to ensure there are no defects. 
10. Any moving machine part, function, or process that may cause injury shall be appropriately safeguarded.
11. No person shall remove or render ineffective a machine guard or other safety device without the approval of the workplace supervisor.
12. Electrical equipment and appliances shall be approved by an agency recognized by the Standards Council of Canada. A full list of accepted approval marks can be found at Search for an Approval Mark - ESA (esasafe.com).