WorkSafe’s Safe Use of Machinery Good Practice Guidelines Summary

What Food & Beverage Manufacturers Need to Know

Machinery plays a vital role in New Zealand’s food manufacturing and processing industry, but it also remains one of the leading causes of serious workplace injuries and fatalities.

Recognising this, WorkSafe New Zealand has released its new Safe Use of Machinery Good Practice Guidelines to help businesses better understand their responsibilities and manage machinery-related risks.

At the same time, WorkSafe has announced a nationwide programme of proactive visits to food manufacturers, reinforcing the importance of effective machinery safety management.

This summary highlights the key messages every food manufacturer should understand.

The Five Key Takeaways

1. Machinery remains one of the highest workplace risks

WorkSafe identifies machinery as a major cause of serious injury and death in New Zealand workplaces. Many incidents involve workers coming into contact with moving machinery during everyday tasks, particularly where hazards have not been adequately identified or controlled.

Effective machinery safety starts with recognising where these risks exist and taking practical steps to eliminate or reduce them before an incident occurs.

2. Machine guarding is essential, but it is only one part of the solution

Machine guarding is one of the most effective engineering controls available to prevent workers from accessing dangerous moving parts. However, WorkSafe makes it clear that guarding should not be viewed as the first or only solution.

Businesses should first consider whether hazards can be eliminated through design or changes to the process. Where that isn’t reasonably practicable, guarding becomes a critical means of isolating workers from danger.

Well-designed guarding should:

  • Prevent access to hazardous moving parts
  • Be difficult to remove or bypass
  • Allow safe operation of the machine
  • Support safe cleaning and maintenance where possible
  • Be regularly inspected to ensure it remains effective

3. Many serious incidents happen during cleaning and maintenance

One of the strongest themes throughout the guidance is that machinery often becomes most dangerous when normal production stops.

Cleaning, maintenance, fault finding and clearing product jams frequently require workers to access areas that are normally guarded. Without proper isolation procedures, machinery can unexpectedly restart or continue moving, placing workers at significant risk.

Every business should have clear lockout and isolation procedures that are understood, documented and consistently followed.

 4. Safe machinery relies on systems, not just equipment

Installing machine guards alone does not create a safe workplace.

WorkSafe emphasises the importance of:

  • Regular risk assessments
  • Safe operating procedures
  • Worker consultation
  • Ongoing training
  • Planned maintenance
  • Routine inspections
  • Reviewing incidents and near misses
  • Continuous improvement

Strong safety culture, clear leadership and involving workers in identifying hazards all contribute to safer outcomes.

5. Machinery safety should be reviewed regularly

Machinery, production lines and workplaces change over time.

New equipment, layout changes, process improvements or production demands can all introduce new risks. WorkSafe recommends regularly reviewing machinery safety controls to ensure they remain effective and continue to protect workers.

Safety should never become a “set and forget” exercise. 

Questions Every Food Manufacturer Should Ask

  • Have we assessed every machine for potential hazards?
  • Are all dangerous moving parts adequately guarded?
  • Can guards be removed too easily?
  • Are lockout procedures documented and consistently followed?
  • Do workers know what to do when clearing a jam or performing maintenance?
  • Are our guards and safety systems regularly inspected?
  • Have we reviewed machinery risks following recent production or layout changes?

How Vanguard Can Help

Understanding the guidance is only the first step.

Vanguard works with food processors and manufacturers across New Zealand to assess machinery risks and recommend practical guarding solutions that improve safety without compromising productivity so everyone can move with confidence.

Our specialists can assist with:

  • Machine guarding assessments
  • Machinery risk reviews
  • Modular machine guarding systems
  • Custom guarding layouts
  • CAD drawings and 3D concepts
  • Supply and installation
  • Ongoing advice and support

Every workplace is different which is why we take the time to understand your environment before recommending the right solution.

Because, at the end of the day, the goal shouldn’t simply be compliance. It’s about creating workplaces where people can move with confidence and go home safely at the end of every day.