Unprotected Moving Parts — Belts, Pulleys, Gears
General industry · Ver en español
Talking points
- Vertical and inclined belts less than 7 feet above the floor must be fully enclosed — not just covered on one side.
- Projecting shaft ends must not extend more than half the shaft diameter beyond the bearing, unless guarded. Even a smooth rotating shaft can grab clothing.
- Gears, sprockets, and chain drives must be enclosed regardless of height if workers could come into contact with them during normal operations.
- Loose clothing, jewelry, long hair, and lanyards are the most common items caught in rotating parts. Tie back hair, remove jewelry, and tuck in clothing before working near machinery.
- If you hear an unusual noise — grinding, clicking, or vibration — from a belt or pulley system, shut the machine down and report it. That noise is often the warning before failure.
Ask the crew
Are there any exposed belts, pulleys, or shafts in your work area that you think should be guarded?
Standards this talk is built on
A toolbox talk is a short safety briefing. It supports the training a standard requires; it does not replace it.
Run this talk with your crew and keep the record
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Sign-in sheet
Print this page to collect signatures, or run the talk in Jobsite and workers sign in on their phones.
| Name | Signature | Date |
|---|---|---|
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