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Quick checkAS/NZS 4024 screening

Machine guarding quick check

A short check for obvious guarding, interlock, emergency-stop and modification-management gaps.

Use this to decide whether the current machine needs a deeper risk assessment or safety-control review. A manufacturer certificate is useful evidence, but it does not replace reassessment of the machine as it is actually installed and used today.

Optional record details

What are you checking?

6–10 min
Current resultCheck in progress

0 of 12 questions reviewed.

Yes0
Gaps0
Not sure0
N/A0
0 / 12 reviewed0%
01

Do the drawings, risk assessment and manufacturer documents match the machine as it exists today?

What should I look for?

Check added conveyors, tooling, guards, robots, PLC changes, speed changes and other modifications.

02

Are all obvious dangerous moving parts and energy sources identified?

Safety-critical screen
What should I look for?

Check front, rear, above, below and maintenance access—not just the operator side.

03

Do guards prevent people reaching the hazard over, under, around or through openings?

Safety-critical screen
What should I look for?

Look for reach-through gaps, missing infill, large openings and newly created access paths.

04

Are guards securely fixed, intact and difficult to defeat accidentally?

What should I look for?

Check missing fasteners, bent mesh, temporary cable ties, propped-open covers and removed panels.

05

Do interlocked guards stop the intended hazardous movement and prevent unsafe restart?

Safety-critical screen
What should I look for?

A switch clicking is not enough. Check the complete safety function and defined safe state.

06

Does the hazard stop before a person can reach it after the guard or protective device is triggered?

Safety-critical screen
What should I look for?

Changes to speed, braking, motors or controls can invalidate an old safe-distance assumption.

07

Are emergency stops accessible, functional and arranged so reset does not restart the machine?

Safety-critical screen
What should I look for?

Emergency stops are a backup control, not a substitute for guarding.

08

Are there no unauthorised bypasses, defeated switches or routine workarounds?

Safety-critical screen
What should I look for?

Ask operators and maintainers how the machine is actually used during faults and jams.

09

Can hazardous energy be isolated for cleaning, jam clearing and maintenance?

Safety-critical screen
What should I look for?

Consider electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, gravity, stored pressure and rotating energy.

10

Have changes in product, tooling, speed, controls or use been reassessed?

What should I look for?

A manufacturer certificate for the original machine does not automatically cover later modifications or repurposing.

11

Are safety-control tests, stopping-time checks and validation records available where needed?

What should I look for?

Look for traceable evidence, not only verbal assurance that the system has always worked.

12

Are safety defects recorded, controlled and closed out with evidence?

What should I look for?

Repeated temporary fixes or open defects are a sign the control system needs deeper review.

Notes and actions

What needs to happen next?

Record the main defect, missing evidence, person responsible or follow-up action. Keep this short—the detailed checklist is available when a deeper record is needed.

Need more detail?

Open the full engineering checklist

The detailed version adds evidence expectations, typical gaps, escalation triggers, attachment packs and source basis.

Open detailed checklist
Important boundary

A quick screen is not a certificate

It helps identify obvious gaps and uncertain items. It does not replace the applicable Standard, manufacturer requirements, competent-person inspection, engineering assessment or site risk process.