Shawn Mantel

Executive Overview

Shawn Mantel founded PowerSafe Automation to bring engineering discipline to machine safety — especially in machine guarding retrofit environments where legacy equipment creates risk, downtime, and liability.

With a background in manufacturing and industrial integration, Shawn leads PSA with a clear focus: deliver turnkey machine guarding retrofit solutions that reduce risk, improve uptime, and align with OSHA and ANSI safeguarding standards.

He believes risk reduction is the foundation. True success occurs when a machine safety retrofit protects operators, supports maintenance teams, and strengthens operational performance simultaneously.

Core Focus Areas

• Machine safety assessments with collaborative engineering strategy

• Custom machine guarding design and retrofit integration

• Manufacturing, assembly, and installation of turnkey guarding systems

• Legacy machine guarding upgrades using physical barriers, electronic safety devices, and safety monitoring systems

Under Shawn’s leadership, PowerSafe Automation helps manufacturers modernize aging equipment through engineered, production-ready machine guarding retrofits — not temporary fixes.

Approach to Machine Guarding Retrofits

Every machine guarding retrofit follows a structured, risk-based process:

1. Evaluate hazards and real-world operator exposure

2. Define safeguarding requirements aligned with ANSI and OSHA standards

3. Engineer layered protection systems — physical and electronic

4. Integrate retrofit solutions with existing equipment and controls

5. Validate usability, maintainability, and long-term reliability

The objective is clear: eliminate bypass behavior, reduce liability exposure, and deliver sustainable machine safety improvements that support production — not hinder it.

Industries Served

PowerSafe Automation supports manufacturers across multiple industrial sectors, including:

• Packaging and film processing

• Wire and cable manufacturing

• Insulation production

• Metal forming and fabrication

Each machine guarding retrofit project is aligned with:

• OSHA 1910.212 – General Requirements for Machine Guarding

• ANSI B11.19 – Performance Criteria for Safeguarding

• ISO 13849-1 – Safety-Related Parts of Control Systems

Leadership Philosophy

Shawn believes machine safety retrofits should never feel like an obstacle to production. When engineered correctly, a well-designed guarding retrofit improves both safety and operational performance.

“The best machine guarding retrofit is the one operators respect and maintenance teams can support.”

Connect With Shawn

If your facility is planning a machine guarding retrofit, upgrading legacy safety systems, or evaluating a structured risk reduction strategy, PowerSafe Automation delivers engineered, turnkey solutions designed for long-term reliability.

Let’s engineer it right.

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