Prevent Entrapment in Hazardous Zones with Entrapment Protection

• Posted on 8 February 2024
• 0

In industrial environments, entrapment danger poses a serious risk to employees. This danger occurs when an operator becomes accidentally confined in an area where machines or processes are active, which can lead to severe injuries or even fatal accidents.

In industrial settings, entrapment danger poses a significant threat to employee safety. This risk arises when employees accidentally become trapped in machinery, robot cells, or other enclosed areas during maintenance or operation tasks. Entrapment in hazardous areas can result in serious injuries or even fatalities. To minimize this risk, it is crucial to implement appropriate guarding, prevent unauthorized access, and ensure that no one can ever be trapped within an enclosed area.

There are various methods to prevent entrapment danger. Traditional methods include Lockout-Tagout procedures and the use of safety padlocks to prevent unintended machine restarts. However, these methods are often procedural and non-compulsory, leaving room for human error. Therefore, there is a need for more compelling solutions to prevent entrapment.

An effective solution is the use of mechanical entrapment protections such as ALPHA for swing doors and sliding doors, and BRAVO for light curtains. These systems employ a unique key system that obliges operators to carry a safety key when entering a secured area, thereby preventing unintended machine restarts during operations.

	The ALPHA Entrapment Protection for Doors The ALPHA is designed for both swing doors and sliding doors and can be easily installed on existing doors already equipped with safety switches or sensors. It compels operators to carry a safety key before entering the safeguarded area, significantly reducing the risk of entrapment. ALPHA entrapment prevention
	The BRAVO Entrapment Protection for Light Curtains The BRAVO is specifically developed to prevent the resetting of light curtains as long as someone is present in the zone. By using mechanical locks, it prevents operators from being inadvertently exposed to the risks of operating machinery. Bravo entrapment prevention

The use of these mechanical entrapment protections offers several benefits, including:
- Enforcing compulsive Lockout-Tagout,
- The entrapment protections are entirely mechanical,
- Simple installation on existing doors and light curtains,
- Mandatory key removal,
- A large number of unique key codings,
- Manufactured from fully stainless steel 316.

Entrapment protections like the ALPHA and BRAVO are essential components in ensuring the safety of employees in industrial environments, providing an effective and compelling solution to prevent entrapment danger and unintended machine restarts. For more information and advice on machine safety issues, feel free to contact our specialists at +31 (0)10 822 44 00 or send us an email at [email protected]