Product hazards
Review temperature, pressure, chemical properties, allergens or contamination risks, fumes, skin contact and the information in the current safety data sheet where one applies.
Machinery safety planning
Risk-assessment inputs for paste filling machinery and integrated lines.
Use this guide to identify information that should feed a competent, project-specific assessment. It is general procurement guidance, not a substitute for the legal duties, technical file or workplace risk assessment that apply to a particular machine and site.
UK buyer guidanceProduct-led specificationEvidence before sign-off
Start with machine limits
Describe intended use, reasonably foreseeable misuse and every operating mode.
The assessment needs more than the normal filling cycle. Include setup, priming, product replenishment, format change, cleaning, blockage clearance, maintenance, fault recovery and integration with adjacent machinery.
Mechanical and control hazards
Consider moving pistons, valves, nozzles, conveyors, indexing devices, pinch points, stored pneumatic energy, unexpected movement and access during adjustment.
Workplace and integration hazards
Include access routes, slips from spills, manual handling, cleaning chemicals, electrical and air supplies, drainage, adjacent machines and shared emergency-stop or guarding arrangements.
Information exchange
Give the supplier enough detail to assess the intended application.
Machine safety depends on the limits and conditions supplied by the buyer. A change in product, pack, temperature, pressure, cleaning agent or line interface can introduce hazards that were not present in the original scope.
| Information | Why it matters | Record to retain |
|---|---|---|
| Product and SDS | Identifies chemical, temperature, incompatibility, exposure and cleaning considerations. | Current product description, SDS where relevant and approved contact-material requirements. |
| Operating modes | Hazards may differ during automatic running, manual setup, cleaning, maintenance and fault clearance. | Mode list, authorised access, expected interventions and isolation method. |
| Utilities and stored energy | Pneumatic pressure, electrical energy, heated product and raised equipment may remain hazardous after stop. | Supply data, isolation points, discharge or cool-down method and site lock-off arrangements. |
| Integrated machinery | Conveyors, cappers and labellers can create new transfer, control and access hazards when arranged as one line. | Layout, interface schedule, control responsibility and agreed boundaries between suppliers. |
| Cleaning and maintenance | Exposure often increases when guards or wetted parts are removed and product or cleaning chemical is accessible. | Cleaning sequence, safe-access method, required PPE from the site's assessment, tools and maintenance plan. |
| Operators and environment | Training, experience, language, noise, lighting, floor condition and public or visitor access can affect risk. | Site constraints, competency requirements and training or supervision plan. |
UK context
Use current official guidance and competent project-specific assessment.
For machinery supplied in Great Britain, the current government guidance on the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008 explains the obligations associated with placing machinery on the market or putting it into service. The Health and Safety Executive also publishes guidance on safe maintenance of work equipment and the use of work equipment under PUWER.
Requirements depend on whether the project is a complete machine, partly completed machinery or an assembly of machines, and on the actual hazards. Obtain competent advice where the project boundary or conformity responsibility is unclear.
Procurement checks
Ask what evidence will be supplied.
- Scope and intended-use statement including excluded products, modes or environments.
- Safety and control documentation appropriate to the agreed machine or line scope.
- Instructions for operation, cleaning, maintenance and foreseeable interventions.
- Declaration and marking documentation applicable to the final supply arrangement.
- Residual-risk information and training needs for the user to incorporate into site systems.
Change control
Review risk again when the application changes.
Do not assume a machine remains suitable when a new chemical, hotter product, larger container, different nozzle, new conveyor, altered control sequence or more automated mode is introduced. Record the proposed change, assess its effect on machinery and workplace risk, and update instructions, training and acceptance checks where required.
Use the specification guide to define the application, the line integration guide to set interface boundaries and the commissioning guide to plan controlled handover.
Need the machine scope defined for a paste filling project?
Send the product, pack, process conditions, layout, utilities and proposed integrations. Lancing can identify the application information needed for quotation and technical review.