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      What’s a Gotcha Stick, and how do you use it?

      Barrier guards are essential safeguards at the point of operation. A good physical barrier keeps the operator from reaching around, under, through, or over it and potentially being exposed to hazardous machine motion. To verify a barrier guard’s effectiveness, remember the acronym “A-U-T-O,” or “AUTO,” which stands for “around, under, through, and over.”

      If the barrier isn’t solid, as is often the case, the size of the barrier openings dictates the minimum safe mounting distance. This is the case whether the barrier is fixed, movable, removable, or interlocked. All openings must comply with table O-10 in OSHA 1910.217 for mechanical power presses and with ANSI B11.19-2010 – Performance Criteria for Safeguarding.

    What’s a Gotcha Stick, and how do you use it?

    How do we ensure that the mounting distance is correct? You might have guessed the answer.

    Enter the Gotcha Stick

    Also known as a “Guard Opening Scale,” a Gotcha Stick is a 2D representation of a human finger, hand and arm that’s instrumental in ensuring that a machine’s safeguarding is within proper compliance. The size of a Gotcha Stick is modeled on a woman’s Size 6 glove.

    How to use the Gotcha Stick

    First, place the scaled side perpendicular to the smallest dimension of the opening. If there are openings of multiple sizes, then each one must be tested. If the guards are adjustable, you must test the worst-case scenario. As long as the tip of the Gotcha Stick doesn’t reach the point of hazard, then the safeguarding is compliant.

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