Setup
Maintenance tasks
no tasks yetWhy this predicts bypass
Each task gets a friction score from how often it happens and how hard the guard makes it. A quarterly task behind a bolted panel is fine. A twice-a-shift task behind the same panel is a guard that will be left off by the end of the month — and at that point you have no guard, no interlock, and a documented control that inspection will assume is working.
| Access method | Friction | What actually happens over time |
|---|---|---|
| No access provision — guard must be unbolted or cut | 5 | Gets modified on the floor. Usually permanently. |
| Remove bolted panel or guard section | 4 | Panel ends up leaning against the wall next to the machine. |
| Lift-off or drop-in panel | 3 | Workable if it's light and there's somewhere to put it. |
| Hinged or sliding door, no interlock | 2 | Fine — but confirm no interlock is genuinely correct. |
| Interlocked door | 1 | The interlock gets defeated only if the stop costs more than the risk feels like. |
| Reach-through port or external service point | 0 | Best case — the guard never opens at all. |
Limits
This tool structures maintenance access requirements and highlights where guard design and maintenance practice are likely to conflict. It is not a risk assessment, does not determine interlock type or required safety performance level, and does not replace lockout/tagout procedure design. Any task requiring access to a hazard while equipment is energised needs review by a competent person.
Access requirements
Add tasks to derive the openings you need.