Nov 10 2025
Want to learn about ways to keep your workspace safe?
Over 5,283 fatal work injuries were reported in the US in 2023, that is nearly 15 deaths per day. All of these tragic accidents were preventable with the right safety equipment and compliance to industry standards.
But here's the thing…
Wire equipment safety is not just another item on your to-do list – it's a critical component in preventing workplace accidents. When done right, you can dramatically reduce accidents and avoid hefty OSHA fines that can exceed $15,000 per violation.
Let me tell you something most people don't realize…
Safety standards are not made up. Industrial equipment is hazardous. Every year, manufacturing is responsible for 15% of workplace injuries. If these machines have moving parts, crushing forces, and sharp edges, how can workers safely do their jobs without proper guarding and safety equipment in place?
But here's where it gets interesting.
Investing in the right safety equipment and safety procedures isn't just the right thing to do from an employee morale and OSHA compliance perspective. In practice, having the proper safety equipment helps your employees do their jobs without accidents, reduces insurance and workers' comp costs, and keeps production moving.
OSHA 29 CFR 1910.212 is the standard that all other machine safety regulations and guidelines support and grow from.
OSHA 29 CFR 1910.212(a)(1) states that any machine part which might cause injury to a worker "must be guarded. Period."
The OSHA Subpart O – Machinery and Machine Guarding, goes on to cover guarding of point-of-operation, power transmission apparatus, and other moving parts like rotating and moving mechanical components, as well as flying debris and objects.
If your machinery has sharp or exposed edges, moving parts, mechanisms which could catch clothing or body parts, power take-off points, or cutting tools that workers can access during normal operations – it needs to be safeguarded. Equipment that can be hazardous even when turned off and disconnected is also required to have some type of guarding in place, and Wire Equipment Safety Panels provide an effective solution for creating protective barriers around hazardous equipment while maintaining visibility and meeting industry safety standards.
OSHA machine guarding is broken down into three primary areas that must be safeguarded in some manner.
Point of Operation
Where you are cutting, shaping, punching, boring, forming, shearing, molding, or otherwise working on your material. This is the moving part of the machine which is actively working on the workpiece and therefore requires special guarding during this part of the operation cycle.
Power Transmission Apparatus
These are belts, pulleys, gears, chains, flywheels, shafting, couplings, or other mechanisms which transmit energy to, or take-off power from, your equipment. This includes the drive systems, but not brake, clutch or other energy controlling components.
Other Moving Parts
Any reciprocating, rotating, or transverse moving parts which are not power transmission apparatus must also be guarded according to OSHA regulations. Items which are not power related but still pose a potential hazard due to movement or energy stored must also be safeguarded.
Wire mesh solutions come in a variety of options depending on your operation, but all have a few things in common. Wire mesh is strong, it's visible, and it is very flexible.
Fixed Barrier Guards
Fixed guards provide a permanent barrier between the operator and moving parts of the equipment. Most industrial facilities use a combination of fixed guards and interlocked safety gates, as fixed guards can be opened while the machine is running in order to set up a workpiece or unload. Fixed guards should never be removed or left open. The easiest way to provide fixed guarding is with welded wire mesh panels in the form of safety enclosures for machines and wire equipment safety panels.
Interlocked Guards
Interlocked guards automatically disable or turn off the machine if they are opened or removed. If your operation allows workers to access moving parts for any reason (setting material, changing cutting tools, etc.) an interlocked guard should be used to prevent accidental contact while the machine is running.
Adjustable Guards
Adjustable guards can be modified to work on different sizes of material or parts without losing worker protection. Adjustable wire guards may have sliding panels or removable sections to maintain worker protection throughout the entire operating cycle.
One of the most common things I see in industrial facilities:
Incorrect wire mesh specifications
Wire mesh used for safety guarding must meet certain opening size and construction guidelines to be OSHA compliant. Ignoring this detail can cause major compliance issues.
Mesh Opening
Mesh opening size is very important. You need to select mesh opening sizes that prevent your workers from being able to reach through and accidentally touch the point of operation.
Wire Gauge
Most industrial applications will require a minimum 0.037-inch wire gauge, or U.S. Gage No. 20, with heavier gauge wire for high-impact applications and welded construction.
According to OSHA, any moving machine part less than 7 feet above a working surface should be guarded. This is because any hazard that is within reach of someone standing on the ground (including ladders, platforms, and during maintenance activities) needs to be considered a guarding issue. Don't make the mistake that many people do of assuming that height provides adequate protection.
Here's the five mistakes I see most often in industrial facilities:
Removing Guards for Convenience
The #1 OSHA Machine Guarding Violation.
Workers taking off guards to speed up production or make maintenance and set up easier. Convenience is never a good reason to disable safety equipment and systems. Never allow guards to be removed without other alternative safety procedures and lockout/tagout in place.
Using Damaged or Modified Guards
Guards which have been bent, damaged, or otherwise altered do not provide adequate protection. Replace damaged guards immediately.
Incorrect Guard Height
Guards need to extend up or down far enough to prevent accidental access to the danger zone. Guards that are too short are ineffective.
Lack of Maintenance
Machine guards need to be inspected and maintained just like production equipment. Keep a maintenance schedule and follow it.
Safety equipment is not a "set and forget" solution. Guards need to be maintained and inspected in order to continue to provide adequate protection. Check mesh panels for bending or damage, mounting hardware for rust or looseness, signs of rust or corrosion, interlocked mechanisms are functioning properly, visibility through mesh is clear, and there are no changes to production equipment which could affect guard safety. Monthly visual inspections and quarterly detailed maintenance should be performed on all safety equipment to ensure it is functioning properly. Keep documentation of maintenance completed to protect yourself during OSHA audits.
A safety culture is the attitude towards safety and compliance which is established by management and adopted by the rest of the facility. Safety equipment and technology alone cannot create a safe environment. A safety culture involves training workers on machine guarding procedures and safe work practices, listening to employees when they raise safety concerns, not pressuring employees to speed up or ignore safety procedures, and management modeling safe behavior at all times. When workers see management taking safety seriously, they are more likely to comply and report safety issues.
Wire equipment safety standards are not a suggestion – they are a requirement. With over 2.6 million workplace injuries each year and approximately 300,000 hospital visits due to contact with moving equipment parts, proper machine guarding is one of the best ways to reduce accidents in your facility.
Tell us what you need and we'll get back to you right away.