Machine guarding detection

Machine guarding violation detection from a photo

Machine guarding violation detection means spotting exposed moving parts in a photo of your equipment: missing or removed guards on saws and grinders, unguarded belts, pulleys, and rotating shafts, open pinch points on conveyors, and workers positioned close to exposed mechanisms. Upload an image and OSHA Scan's AI flags each visible exposure, references the OSHA machine guarding standard it may relate to, and suggests a fix. It reports what is visible in the frame — it cannot verify interlock function or guard specifications — so it is an AI-assisted preliminary review, not a formal machine safety assessment.

Scan equipment for guarding gaps See a sample report

Free · No account needed to scan · Results in seconds

Belt-driven workshop machine with an exposed belt and pulley

Guards come off for maintenance and never go back

Almost no machine ships without guards — the violations appear over time. A guard comes off for a jam or a blade change and sits on the floor while production resumes. A conveyor cover gets bent and discarded. A bench grinder's tool rest drifts out of adjustment. Each one exposes the operators who use that machine every shift, and machine hazards are behind some of the most severe injuries OSHA tracks, including amputations.

A photo scan is a fast way to sweep a shop or line for the guards that quietly disappeared: photograph the equipment and the AI flags visible exposures — open belts and pulleys, missing blade guards, reachable pinch points — with the OSHA standard each may relate to. Supervisors run it after maintenance windows, when reinstalling the guard is the step most likely to be skipped.

Machine guarding enforcement: the standard behind OSHA's amputation prevention focus

Machine guarding (29 CFR 1910.212 for general industry) consistently appears in OSHA's top-ten most-cited list, and the injuries it is cited in connection with are among the most severe tracked by BLS: amputations, deglovings, and crush injuries. OSHA's Amputation National Emphasis Program (NEP) specifically targets machine guarding compliance in manufacturing industries, with targeted inspections at facilities where machinery with amputation potential is present. Under the NEP, inspectors are trained to evaluate guarding at every machine in scope — not just the one that triggered an inspection.

The guarding standard requires that every machine designed to transmit motion — belts, pulleys, chains, gears, sprockets, flywheels, and rotating shafts — be guarded to prevent contact. Fixed guards are preferred; interlocked guards that stop motion when opened are acceptable; adjustable guards require employee training and are the least preferred option. OSHA's machine guarding citations frequently involve guards that were removed for maintenance and not reinstalled, guards that were modified to allow access without eliminating the hazard, and equipment where guarding was never installed. Connecting a machine guarding program to a documented LOTO procedure — so guards come off only under lockout — is the administrative control that closes the maintenance-window gap where most amputations occur.

Guarding gaps the scanner looks for

Visible exposures the AI checks in an equipment photo.

Missing or removed guards

Saws, grinders, and cutting equipment operating with guards visibly absent or propped out of position.

Exposed power transmission

Unguarded belts, pulleys, chains, sprockets, and rotating shafts within reach of workers.

Pinch points and nip points

Open in-running rolls, conveyor transfer points, and reachable pinch zones without visible barriers.

Worker position

People working or reaching close to visibly exposed moving parts, or bypassing barriers in the frame.

Demo: the report a scanned photo comes back with

Scan a photo like the one above and this is the report you get — score, findings, OSHA references, and fixes. It is an illustrative example, clearly marked — not live scan data.

Example report

Illustrative — not live scan data

Example equipment photo scanned for guarding violations

Compliance score

Lower means more potential hazards found

5 potential hazards found

2 High3 locked

1Bench grinder operating with the wheel guard removed
High
Possibly related to machine guarding (29 CFR 1910.212)
Observed condition: An unguarded abrasive wheel can shatter at speed, and contact with the exposed wheel causes severe hand injuries.
Corrective action: Take the grinder out of service until the guard and tool rest are reinstalled and adjusted.
High confidence
2Exposed belt and pulley within reach of the walkway
High
Possibly related to mechanical power-transmission apparatus (29 CFR 1910.219)
Observed condition: Loose clothing, hair, or a hand near an in-running nip point can be drawn in faster than anyone can react.
Corrective action: Install a fixed guard enclosing the belt and pulley to the required height along the walkway.
Medium confidenceNot fully clear from the photo — verify on site.

Bench grinder work rest gap appears wider than allowed
Full detail — severity, the OSHA standard it may relate to, and the suggested fix — is included in the complete report.
Interlocked guard visibly wedged open
Full detail — severity, the OSHA standard it may relate to, and the suggested fix — is included in the complete report.
Pedestal machine not anchored to the floor
Full detail — severity, the OSHA standard it may relate to, and the suggested fix — is included in the complete report.

3 more findings in the full report

See every finding, fix, and OSHA reference

5 included site scans + 10 signup bonus. No credit card.

AI-generated analysisThese findings are potential hazards flagged by AI from a single photo. They are a starting point for your own review — not an official OSHA determination. Verify conditions on site with a qualified person before acting.

Try it free

Now scan your own photo — free

Upload a photo like the one above and get a compliance score and hazard count in seconds. No account needed to scan — create a free account to unlock the full report.

Flagged exposed belts, missing blade guards, and reachable pinch points on the machine
The OSHA standard each exposure may relate to, like 1910.212 or 1910.219
A 'verify manually' list — interlock function and guard specs a photo can't test

Live OSHA hazard analysis

Free instant AI scan

Photo scan — no account neededVideo walkthrough scan — free account

1Upload photo

2AI analysis

3See report

Name this job site (optional)

Use the real site or facility name. If you save the scan after signup, it becomes the report name.

Three angles, one deeper scan

Only the wide shot is required — every extra angle gives the AI more places to look.

Required: Set the scene — one wide shot lets the AI sweep the whole area at once

Stand at the entry point and capture corner to corner: floors, ladders, scaffolds, and everyone at work

or choose from your library

Drop a job-site photo or walkthrough video

Click to upload, drag & drop, or snap a photo on site. Photos scan free in about 15 seconds — no signup, no card. Video walkthroughs (up to 3 min) run on a free account.

JPGPNGWEBPGIFAVIFBMPup to 15MBMP4MOVWEBMup to 150MB · free account

Results in ~15sReferences relevant OSHA standardsPrivate - deleted in 48h unless you save it

Accuracy boosters

Small habits, sharper scans

Set the scene

Start with context

Fill the frame

2–3 ft for close-ups; keep ladders, cords and workers fully in view.

Capture clearly

Make the frame usable

Light it right

Keep the sun or lights behind you — glare and shadows hide hazards.

Tap to focus

Tap the hazard on screen and hold still one second — blur can't be flagged.

Choose the useful view

Give the AI room to understand

Go landscape

Turn your phone sideways — a wider frame catches more of the scene.

No job-site photo handy?

or scan with video

Video walkthrough scan — free account

Only upload photos you have permission to use, and avoid images showing personal, customer, or confidential information. Demo photos and results are held privately for up to 48 hours so you can save them to a free account; unclaimed photos are deleted automatically. Results are an AI-assisted preliminary review, not an official OSHA determination.

New: Video walkthrough scans

Record up to 3 minutes of your site — the AI extracts frames and flags every hazard with exact timestamps. Free account required.

Try it free →

Get the best results

Wide shot first

Stand at the entrance and photograph the entire work area so AI sees the full context

Hazard areas

Photograph elevated surfaces, equipment, electrical panels, and anywhere workers are active

Close-ups last

Move in close on anything damaged, missing, or that looks risky — the AI catches more detail

The 12-point machine guarding inspection checklist

Walk the shop floor with these points. The first four are free — create a free account to unlock the full checklist and scan your own equipment photos.

1
Point of operation guarded
The spot where the machine cuts, presses, or forms is enclosed or protected so no part of a body can reach it during the cycle.
2
Belts, pulleys, and chains enclosed
Power transmission parts below seven feet are fully enclosed — a spinning pulley behind a missing panel is one of the most cited machine hazards.
3
Rotating shafts and couplings covered
Exposed shaft ends, couplings, and keyways are covered so clothing, hair, and gloves cannot wrap.
4
Grinder rests and guards adjusted
Bench grinder work rests sit close to the wheel and tongue guards close to the top — gaps grow as wheels wear and need regular re-adjustment.

5
Interlocks working, not bypassed
Interlocked guards stop the machine when opened, and nothing — tape, zip ties, spare bolts — defeats them for convenience.
6
Emergency stops reachable and working
E-stops within reach of the operator's position, unobstructed, tested, and known to everyone who runs the machine.
7
Machines anchored against movement
Fixed machinery that could walk or tip during operation is bolted down — pedestal grinders and drill presses are the usual offenders.
8
Lockout/tagout for service and jams
Clearing a jam, changing a blade, or cleaning happens only after energy is isolated and locked — never through an opening in the guard.
9
No loose clothing, jewelry, or gloves at rotating parts
Anything that can wrap will wrap. Gloves near rotating stock are a hazard, not protection.
10
Housekeeping around machines
Clear floor space at the operator position, no coolant or oil underfoot, and no stacked material crowding the controls.
11
Guards in place after maintenance
Every panel and guard removed for service goes back before the machine returns to production — check the floor around recently serviced equipment.
12
Operators trained on this machine
Training covers this specific machine's hazards, guards, and e-stops — not just a general orientation video.

8 more checklist points

Unlock the full 12-point checklist free

Create your first company account to see every point — plus 5 included AI site scans and a one-time 10-scan signup bonus. No credit card.

What the AI can and can't detect

OSHA Scan reads a single photo. That makes it fast and easy for anyone on site — but it also means it has real limits. Here's an honest look at both.

What it can catch from a photo

Missing or incorrect PPE that is visible in the frame
Unprotected edges, open holes, and visible fall hazards
Housekeeping, trip, and blocked walkway or exit hazards
Visible electrical, struck-by, and equipment-guarding hazards

What a photo can't tell it

Hazards hidden from view or anything outside the photo
Exact heights, distances, weights, or measurements
Training records, procedures, or how equipment is actually used
Full legal compliance or an official OSHA pass/fail determination

OSHA Scan gives an AI-assisted preliminary review from a photo. It does not replace an on-site inspection by a qualified safety professional, and a compliance score is not an official OSHA determination.

Always confirmed by a person on site

A scan is a fast first look, not the final word. Before treating this kind of area as safe, a competent person should still confirm:

Interlock and light-curtain function — a photo cannot test devices
Guard openings and distances against the specifications for that machine
Lockout/tagout procedures for maintenance on the equipment
Guarding on the sides of the machine the photo does not show

Take the OSHA job-site checklist with you

33 critical checks across 7 categories — the same visible gaps the AI scanner looks for. Sent to your inbox as a free PDF.

Keep exploring

More ways to see what an AI OSHA scan can do for your site.

The AI OSHA inspection tool

The overview hub — how the scanner works and every job, site, and hazard it covers.

Equipment guarding hazards

The full machine guarding hazard guide.

Hand & power tool safety

Guarding and condition checks for the portable tools.

Machinery entanglement scenario

How entanglement incidents develop.

Pinch point hazard scenario

The reachable nip points crews miss.

PPE violation detection

Check operator PPE in the same photo.

Hazard control hierarchy

Why guarding is an engineering control above PPE.

A full sample report

See a complete labelled example of everything a scan returns.

Scan equipment for guarding gaps

OSHA Scan

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