Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC) Safety Assessment Practice Test

What condition warrants an immediate lockout of a machine?

1. Guard has been bypassed

2. Machine is about to fail but is not producing bad parts

3. Machine is running inefficiently

4. Nearby machine has failed

The correct answer is: Guard has been bypassed

The condition that warrants an immediate lockout of a machine is when the guard has been bypassed. This is a critical safety situation because machine guards are designed to protect workers from moving parts and potential hazards associated with machinery operation. When a guard is bypassed, it creates a significant risk of injury or accident as it exposes the operator or nearby personnel to dangerous machine components. Lockout procedures are a crucial part of workplace safety, ensuring that machines are properly de-energized and rendered inoperable to prevent unauthorized or accidental activation during maintenance or repairs. The bypassing of a safety guard directly compromises this safety measure, making immediate lockout essential to protect workers and maintain a safe working environment. In contrast, scenarios where a machine is simply running inefficiently, is about to fail without producing defective parts, or where a nearby machine has failed do not pose an immediate threat that necessitates a lockout. These situations may require maintenance or further observation, but they do not inherently increase the risk of injury to personnel as drastically as a bypassed guard does.