What Is the Difference Between a Machine Guarding Assessment and a Task-Based Risk Assessment?

A machine guarding assessment and a task-based risk assessment are both critical tools for ensuring workplace safety—but they focus on different aspects of machine safety compliance:

Machine Guarding Assessment

This evaluates whether existing physical safeguards (like barriers, light curtains, and interlocks) meet OSHA, ANSI, and ISO standards for protecting employees from mechanical hazards. It focuses on:

  • Guard placement and adequacy

  • Compliance with regulations (e.g., OSHA 1910.212, ANSI B11.19)

  • Identification of unguarded pinch points, rotating parts, or access areas

  • Recommended upgrades to passive or active guarding solutions

Goal: Ensure that all machines are physically protected against hazardous motion and meet baseline guarding requirements.

Task-Based Risk Assessment

This is a more detailed evaluation that examines how a worker interacts with a machine during specific tasks—like setup, cleaning, maintenance, or changeovers. It assesses:

  • Frequency and duration of exposure

  • Severity and likelihood of harm

  • Safety functions needed (e.g., lockout/tagout, presence-sensing, control reliability)

  • Appropriate risk reduction measures using the hierarchy of controls

Goal: Identify and mitigate risks associated with specific human-machine interactions, often using standards like ANSI B11.0 and ISO 12100.

Summary:

  • Machine Guarding Assessment = Focuses on physical guarding compliance.

  • Task-Based Risk Assessment = Focuses on human interaction with the machine during tasks.

Both are essential for a comprehensive safety strategy—and often used together in turnkey machine safeguarding solutions.

Was this answer helpful?