Are mixer bowl guards required by law? In the United States, there are no national requirements for mixing bowl guards for vertical mixers. However, many states and localities have their own safety regulations requiring the guards. In Canada, mixer bowl guards are required by law.
Many restaurants, grocery stores and commercial bakeries use commercial grade vertical mixers. According to OSHA, the gears and electrical wiring of the mixers must always be covered during operation, and mixers must have on/off switches so that operators can turn them off. Guards are recommended but not required in all situations.
Some states, like California, have passed regulations requiring guards on all vertical mixers. California has required the guards since January 1, 2015. Even if your state or locality doesn’t require the guards, you may need them for your vertical food mixer. Guards can prevent disfiguring or fatal injuries, as well as employee workers compensation claims. Would you benefit from using a bowl with your mixer? Ask yourself the following questions.
• Do my employees wear loose-fitting clothes or dangling jewelry while operating the vertical mixer?
• Do employees regularly add ingredients to the mixer bowl while the mixer is in motion?
• Do employees scrape the mixer bowl or check dough consistency while the mixer is in motion?
• Could an employee unintentionally switch the mixer on?
• Are there slipping and tripping hazards near the mixer?
• Do I have employees who are lax about safety procedures?
• Have there been past employee injuries or near misses involving the mixer?
If you can answer yes to any of these questions, you should get a bowl guard for your mixer, even if the law does not require it. Bowl guards can prevent lawsuits, fines, and damage to the machinery from employee actions. If you do not have a bowl guard but do have a workplace accident, OSHA may investigate and penalize you for the lack of guards, even if they’re not strictly required by law.
Before you invest in a mixer bowl guard, check your machine’s make and model. Be sure to buy the proper guard for your machine. Sharptek carries bowl guards for a wide variety of Hobart mixers. These guards require professional installation but allow employees to add ingredients while the mixer is in motion. The guards prevent clothes, jewelry and fingers from becoming tangled in the mixing blades.
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| Hobart A200 Bowl Guard | Hobart D300 Bowl Guard | Hobart D340 Bowl Guard |
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| Hobart H600, P660, L800 Bowl Guard | Hobart M802 Bowl Guard | Hobart V1401 Bowl Guard |