Legacy Guard Replacement Assessment — Keep, Repair, Retrofit or Replace

Faztek Industrial Solutions

Legacy Guard Assessment

1. What you're looking at

Machine or guard

Approximate age (years)

How was it built?

Welded steelFabricated in-house or by a shop, permanently joined Bolted steelAngle or tube, mechanically fastened Modular aluminiumExtrusion and panels OEM guardSupplied with the machine ImprovisedChain, mesh panels wired on, plywood, barrier tape

2. Physical condition

What's wrong with it? — select all that apply

Nothing — it's sound Bent or impact damagedForklift, dropped load Corrosion Missing fasteners or loose joints Panels cracked, clouded or missing Doors sag, bind or won't latch Loose at the floor or mounting points

3. What's been done to it

The best predictor of what happens next

Nothing — as built Sections cut outFor access, cabling or a process change Panels or sections removed and not replaced Holes drilled through it Extra bits welded or bolted on Moved or re-sited since installation

How often does the guard need changing to suit the process?

Several times a yearProduct changes, new tooling, layout moves Every year or two Almost neverThe process is stable

4. Does it get in the way?

Maintenance and operational access

It genuinely blocks routine workPeople have to dismantle it, or they've stopped putting it back Workable but awkwardAccess exists but it's slow or in the wrong place Access is fine

If you're unsure, the Maintenance Access Matrix works this out task by task.

Evidence it's being worked around

None observed Interlock defeated Doors propped or chained open Sections routinely left off

5. Compliance position

Does it meet the standard you're held to today?

No — known gapsOpenings, height, safe distance, or missing interlocks Not sure — never formally assessedVery common on older installations Yes — assessed and compliant

Is there an open finding against it?

Regulatory citation Internal audit None

Has the machine or process changed since the guard was built?

Yes No

A guard designed around a process that no longer exists is usually guarding the wrong thing.

Recommended disposition

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Assessment

Cost replacing it →

Limits

This assessment produces a maintenance and capital planning recommendation from the observations you entered. It is not a risk assessment, does not determine compliance with any standard, and does not establish required safety performance level or safe distances. A guard that this tool rates as sound may still be non-compliant. Any disposition should be confirmed by a competent person against the standards applicable to your installation, and a defeated interlock should be escalated immediately regardless of the result shown here.