Page 338 - Practical Machinery Management for Process Plants Major Process Equipment Maintenance and Repair

Figure 7-6. Proper V-drive installation in explosive atmospheres.

No matter where rotating machines are located or by what means they are
driven, there is always a chance of personal injury unless they are in-
stalled and operated under safe conditions. This section is written with
this thought in mind.
Guard All Drives Properly

All regulating agencies such as OSHA, State Departments of Labor
and Industry, insurance firms and other safety authorities either recom-
mend or insist on drive guards. We, also, strongly recommend that every
V-belt drive be completely guarded. Do not be lulled into a sense of secu-
rity by a temporary or makeshift guard.
Of course, provision can and should be made for proper ventilation and
inspection by the use of grills, inspection doors and removable panels.
But the guard should have no gap where workers can reach inside and
become caught in the drive. Besides being a safety asset, a good guard
helps make maintenance easier by protecting the drive from weather and
foreign objects.