Pre-Purchase Machine Guarding Assessment

Know the true cost of purchasing used equipment before you buy. 

Avoid expensive retrofits, compliance surprises, and safety gaps before the machine arrives on your floor.

Request a Pre-Purchase Assessment


The Real Cost of Buying Unguarded Equipment

Purchasing used equipment or new machines without proper safety assessment can seem like a good deal... until you discover what it actually costs to make them compliant and safe to operate.

The machine can technically run, but it can't be used safely. These machines end up exposing operators to hazards forcing retrofitted machine guarding which is more expensive, slower, and more disruptive. 

Timing is Everything

The stage at which you engage PowerSafe determines your options and overall costs

Contacting us while shopping or reviewing quotes is ideal so we can influence guard design, access points, safety architecture, and machine layout before anything is locked in.

If you contact us before a machine is built or shipped, we can still plan guarding solutions before installation by reviewing the available quotes, floor plans, CAD files and vendor specs.

Contacting us after purchase and installation of the machine puts us in retrofit mode. We can still help, but costs are higher, timelines are longer, and production is disrupted while we redesign around a finished machine.

How the Pre-Assessment Process Works

This assessment educates you on the real cost of purchasing used equipment or validates that you're getting a compliant machine when buying new, before financial and operational commitments are final.

  1. Document Review
    1. We review whatever information is available, including: 
      1. machine quotes showing options
      2. floor plan layout drawings
      3. vendor specifications
      4. CAD files Remote or On-Site Assessment
  2. Remote or On-Site Assessment
    1. Most of the time, we assess the machine guarding remotely.
    2. For complex or high-risk equipment, we plan a site visit to better understand the machine.
  3. Real-World Context Analysis
    1. We collaborate with your operators and maintenance teams to understand how they'll actually use it, including:
      1. Where people stand
      2. Where material flows
      3. How maintenance is performed
  4. Solutions & Turnkey Pricing
    1. You receive a detailed assessment with high-level guard designs and turnkey pricing based on where the machine will be located. This gives you accurate cost information before making purchase decisions.

Timeline: A few hours for a single machine, up to a week when reviewing groups or an entire machine shop.

Assessment With a Solution

Typical risk assessment companies only evaluate equipment and hand you a report. PowerSafe offers solutions with the assessment, backed by decades of practical experience and TÜV Certified Functional Safety Engineers.


Planning to Purchase Equipment?

Get an assessment before you commit and avoid retrofit costs, compliance surprises, and safety gaps.

Request a Pre-Purchase Assessment


Frequently Asked Questions

How long does the assessment process take?

  • Depends on the number of machines being assessed. 
  • A single machine can take a few hours to review, assessing groups of machines or an entire machine shop can take up to a week.

When is the ideal time to request a pre-purchase assessment?

  • Ideally, while you're shopping for the machine or reviewing vendor quotes. That's when we can influence guard design, access points, safety architecture, and machine layout
  • The earlier we're involved, the more options you have and the lower your total cost.

Can you assess machines before they're built or shipped?

  • Yes. We can start before the machine is even built or shipped by reviewing available information.

Do you conduct assessments remotely or on-site?

  • We conduct assessments remotely most of the time, especially early in the buying process. 
  • For complex or high-risk equipment, we'll plan a site visit to walk the floor and understand how the machine will actually live in your process. 

What are the risks of skipping a pre-purchase assessment?

  • Risks can include:
    • Buying guards that don't actually work for your machine or process
    • Inherit machines that can't be used safely
    • Expose operators to risk  
    • Expensive retrofit costs 

What information do you need from us to conduct the assessment?

  • Helpful information includes: 
    • Machine quotes or specifications, 
    • Layout drawings or CAD files (if available)
    • Process descriptions explaining how material flows and how operators interact with the machine
    • Photos or videos of similar equipment
    • Production goals or known constraints that affect guard design