Pre-Start Health and Safety Reviews

A table in section 7 of Regulation 851 defines the circumstances for when a PSR is required. In the case below, a PSR was required because it was a new machine that used safeguarding devices that signalled the machine to stop, such as an interlocked gates or a light curtain.

In this case, there were no exemptions that were applicable.

It is important for the reviewing engineer and the equipment owner to understand and agree on the scope of the PSR project.

PandRS reports include itemized scope and responsibility information and a detailed listing of equipment that are included in the PSR.

The regulatory findings assessment forms the heart of the PSR. Each machine is carefully reviewed against each required section, and findings are written into the report. Findings include a description of how the safeguarding meets the requirements, and any modifications necessary to correct non-compliance issues.

Machine safety standards such as those provided by Canadian Standards Association (CSA) provide additional safety design information. Although most of these standards are not specified in statutes or regulations, PandRS includes assessments against current relevant safety standards to provide a higher level of safety performance and due diligence for their customers.

PSR reports include detailed photos of key safeguarding devices, such as guarding panels, emergency stop buttons, light curtains, and interlock switches.

Visual details of required modifications are annotated on the photos to help the equipment owner correct deficiencies.