Industrial Machinery Operation & Safety Certification

Month 1: Fundamentals of Industrial Safety (HSE)

• Class 1: Introduction to OSHA/ISO Safety Standards. The Hierarchy of Controls
  (Elimination, Substitution, Engineering, Administrative, PPE).
• Class 2: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) mastery: Eye, ear, respiratory, foot, and
  hand protection standards.
• Practical/Field Work: Conduct a PPE inventory and inspection; identify “Struck-By” and “Caught-Between” hazards in the local workshop.

Month 2: Control of Hazardous Energy (LOTO)

• Class 3: Lock-Out/Tag-Out (LOTO) Theory: When and why it is used. The 7 steps of
  LOTO.
• Class 4: Electrical Safety: Understanding voltage, arc flash boundaries, and grounding
  machinery.
• Practical/Field Work: Perform a mock LOTO procedure on a non-energized machine;
  practice filling out LOTO tags and logbooks.

Month 3: Hand and Power Tool Safety

• Class 5: Safe handling of non-powered hand tools (wrenches, hammers, pliers).
  Ergonomics and Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) prevention.
• Class 6: Portable Power Tools: Drills, grinders, and circular saws. Inspecting cords,
  guards, and switches.
• Practical/Field Work: Inspect all power tool cords for fraying; demonstrate proper
  stance and grip for using an angle grinder.

Month 4: Fixed Machinery & Guarding

• Class 7: Machine Guarding basics: Fixed, Interlocked, Adjustable, and Self-Adjusting
  guards.
• Class 8: Point of Operation safety: Lathes, Drill Presses, and Bench Grinders.
  Emergency Stop (E-Stop) systems.
• Practical/Field Work: Conduct a “Guard Audit” on shop floor machinery to ensure no
  guards are bypassed or missing; test E-Stops functionality.

Month 5: Material Handling (Manual & Mechanical)

• Class 9: Manual Lifting techniques: The Power Lift vs. The Golfer’s Lift. Back safety and
  team lifting.
• Class 10: Mechanical Aids: Using pallet jacks, hand trucks, and dollies safely. Load
  centers and stability triangles.
• Practical/Field Work: Practice safe lifting of various weighted boxes; navigate a loaded
  pallet jack through an obstacle course.

Month 6: Forklift & Powered Industrial Trucks (Theory)

• Class 11: Forklift Fundamentals: Types of lifts (Counterbalance, Reach). The Stability
  Triangle and Center of Gravity.
• Class 12: Operational Safety: Pre-shift inspections, refueling/recharging safety, and
  pedestrian awareness.
• Practical/Field Work: Complete a pre-shift inspection checklist on a forklift; observe
  forklift traffic patterns in a warehouse setting.

Month 7: Rigging & Hoisting

• Class 13: Cranes and Hoists: Overhead crane safety and hand signals.
• Class 14: Rigging Hardware: Inspecting slings (web, wire rope, chain), shackles, and
  hooks. Calculating Safe Working Loads (SWL).
• Practical/Field Work: Practice standard crane hand signals with a partner; inspect a
  set of slings for wear, tears, or broken wires.

Month 8: Chemical Safety & Hazardous Materials

• Class 15: Understanding SDS (Safety Data Sheets) and GHS (Globally Harmonized
  System) labeling.
• Class 16: Safe storage of flammables and combustibles near machinery. Spill
  containment procedures.
• Practical/Field Work: Locate and read the SDS for a lubricant or coolant used in the
  shop; identify the location of spill kits.

Month 9: Fire Safety & Emergency Response

• Class 17: Fire Triangle and Classes of Fire (A, B, C, D, K). Fire risks associated with hot
  machinery (friction/overheating).
• Class 18: Using Fire Extinguishers (PASS technique) and Evacuation Protocols.
• Practical/Field Work: Locate all fire extinguishers in the work zone; simulate a fire drill
  and evacuation route walk-through.

Month 10: Heavy Machinery Maintenance Safety

• Class 19: Safety during maintenance: Fluid pressure hazards (hydraulics/pneumatics).
  Blocking and cribbing raised equipment.
• Class 20: Confined Space Awareness: Definition, permits, and atmospheric testing
  before entering machinery pits or tanks.
• Practical/Field Work: Identify hydraulic lines and potential high-pressure pinch points;
  practice “blocking” a piece of equipment to prevent gravity fall.

Month 11: Specialized Machinery (Sector Specific)

Note: This month is tailored to the specific industry (e.g., CNC, Conveyors, or Earth
Movers).

• Class 21: Specific operational hazards of Conveyor Belts (nip points) or CNC machines
  (flying debris).
• Class 22: Noise Control and Vibration hazards. Hearing conservation programs.
• Practical/Field Work: Measure decibel levels in different zones of the workshop;
  identify nip points on a conveyor system.

Month 12: Safety Culture & Final Assessment

• Class 23: Incident Reporting: How to report “Near Misses” and accidents. Root Cause
  Analysis (The “5 Whys”).
• Class 24: Final Examination (Written & Practical Walkthrough) and Course Certification.
• Practical/Field Work: Write a mock incident report for a staged “near miss”; perform a
  final comprehensive safety audit of a designated work zone.