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CONTROLS THAT REDUCE MACHINERY INJURY SEVERITY
Why Machinery Entanglement Risk Matters
Machinery entanglement incidents are typically high severity. In aluminium manufacturing, rotating equipment, pinch points, infeed and outfeed rollers, conveyors, wrapping/packing lines, saws, presses, and maintenance tasks can create situations where clothing, gloves, hair, tools or limbs become caught. These events can cause serious injury, long absences, prosecution exposure, and complex employers’ liability (EL) claims.
Insure24 supports aluminium manufacturers across the UK with insurance programmes and insurer-ready submissions. We help you explain your process, demonstrate controls, and structure cover so your EL and wider liability programme is aligned with your real risks.
What Is Machinery Entanglement Risk?
Entanglement is when a person (or what they are wearing/holding) is pulled into moving machinery. It is most commonly associated with rotating parts, rollers, belts, shafts, couplings, spindles, winding stations, conveyors, and unguarded transmission components. In manufacturing facilities, entanglement is often linked to cleaning, jam clearing, adjustment, changeover and maintenance tasks — particularly where lock-off procedures are not followed or guarding is bypassed.
From an insurance perspective, entanglement losses typically impact employers’ liability (employee injury claims) and can also trigger public liability exposures (if contractors or visitors are injured), plus operational disruption and reputational fallout. Strong controls can materially improve insurer appetite and policy terms.
Where Entanglement Happens Most
- Conveyors, infeed/outfeed rollers and transfer tables
- Wrapping, banding and packaging machinery
- Saws, cutters and finishing lines with rotating components
- Presses, coilers and winding stations (where applicable)
- Maintenance activities: greasing, adjustment, belt changes
- Clearing jams and removing scrap near moving parts
Insurers focus on how people interact with these areas, the integrity of guarding, and how you manage non-routine tasks.
Insurance Sections Most Affected
- Employers’ Liability (EL) – injury/illness claims and legal defence costs
- Public Liability (PL) – contractor/visitor injury where you control the workplace
- Engineering / Machinery Breakdown – if a breakdown or sudden failure contributes to a loss (wording dependent)
- Business Interruption (BI) – disruption following insured property damage (trigger dependent)
- Management Liability – where governance and incident handling are scrutinised (separate policy)
A well-structured combined manufacturing programme reduces gaps and improves claims coordination when incidents occur.
Key Drivers of Entanglement & Worker Injury Risk
Underwriters don’t just ask “what machines do you have?” They look for the conditions that make incidents more likely: bypassed guarding, weak lock-off discipline, poor segregation, rushed interventions, inconsistent training and weak supervision. Getting these points right can improve EL pricing and reduce restrictive policy conditions.
Guarding, Interlocks & Machine Integrity
Guarding failures are a common root cause. Insurers will want to know whether guarding is fixed, interlocked, and maintained — and how you prevent “temporary” removal becoming normal practice.
- Fixed guarding for belts, drives, couplings and rotating shafts
- Interlocked guards and safe access points where needed
- Emergency stop reach and regular function testing
- Maintenance inspections and defect reporting
- Controls to prevent guard bypassing
Strong evidence here can reduce insurer concern about catastrophic injury severity.
Lock-Off / Tag-Out (LOTO) & Non-Routine Tasks
Many serious injuries occur during jam clearing, cleaning and adjustment. Underwriters typically ask how you ensure machines are isolated before intervention, and how you manage pressure to keep production moving.
- Documented isolation procedures per machine/line
- Permit-to-work or controlled intervention process for higher-risk lines
- Supervisor sign-off for non-routine tasks (where appropriate)
- LOTO kits, training and compliance checks
- Rules on gloves/clothing near rotating parts (task-specific)
Good LOTO discipline is one of the clearest underwriting positives for machinery-heavy manufacturing.
People & Plant Interaction (Segregation)
Entanglement risk rises when operators must work close to moving parts or reach into guarded zones to adjust product flow. Layout, barriers and working methods matter.
- Physical barriers and exclusion zones around infeed/outfeed points
- Safe access platforms and handrails for elevated tasks
- Clear walkways, lighting and signage
- Safe clearing tools (hooks/poles) to avoid reaching into machinery
- Housekeeping to reduce slip/trip while operating near machines
Clear segregation also reduces wider injury frequency and helps EL claims defensibility.
Training, Competence & Supervision
Insurers often request evidence of competence, particularly for changeovers and maintenance. They also look for how you handle agency labour, new starters, and shift coverage.
- Training matrix and competency sign-off per machine
- Induction and refresher training for high-risk lines
- Toolbox talks on entanglement hazards and safe behaviours
- Supervisor coverage across shifts (including night/weekend)
- Near-miss reporting and corrective actions
Better records and supervision can strengthen underwriting outcomes and reduce post-incident disputes.
What Underwriters Typically Want to See
When you can evidence controls, insurers are more comfortable offering wider cover, better pricing and fewer restrictive endorsements. For machinery injury risk, the insurer focus is usually: guarding integrity, isolation discipline, competence and incident management.
Documentation & Control Evidence
- Risk assessments and safe systems of work for key lines
- Machine guarding checks and maintenance records
- LOTO procedures, training logs and compliance audits
- Accident/near-miss logs with corrective actions
- Contractor control process for maintenance and shutdowns
If documentation exists but isn’t packaged clearly, Insure24 can help present it in an insurer-ready format.
Operational Detail That Helps Quotes
- Process overview: extrusion, fabrication, finishing, packaging, warehousing
- Headcount and payroll split by activity (including agency labour)
- Shift patterns and supervision arrangements
- List of critical machines/lines and how interventions are managed
- Five-year claims history and improvement actions
Clear data reduces insurer referrals and speeds up terms for combined manufacturing programmes.
Who This Guidance Is For
Machinery entanglement exposure is relevant across most aluminium manufacturing and processing sites, especially where there are conveyors, roller beds, cutting/finishing lines, packaging machinery, or maintenance tasks performed under time pressure.
Typical Aluminium Operations
- Extrusion and profile manufacturers
- Fabrication, machining and finishing businesses
- Recycling and secondary processing facilities
- Casthouse operations and component manufacturing
- Sites with packing, wrapping and automated handling lines
Risk Factors That Increase Exposure
- High throughput lines with frequent jams/adjustments
- Older plant with inconsistent guarding standards
- Agency labour or high staff turnover
- Limited supervision across shifts
- Shutdown maintenance with multiple contractors on site
How to Reduce Risk and Improve Insurance Terms
Insurers respond best when controls are consistent and evidenced. If you want better EL outcomes, focus on the areas that change severity: guarding integrity, isolation discipline, competence, and incident learning. We can then present the story clearly to underwriters.
- 1. Map high-risk machines – identify rotating parts, rollers and intervention points.
- 2. Strengthen guarding – fix gaps, interlocks, and introduce checks and maintenance routines.
- 3. Tighten LOTO – isolation procedures, kits, training and compliance audits.
- 4. Improve competence records – training matrix, sign-offs, refreshers and supervision.
- 5. Package evidence for insurers – clear summary + supporting documents for faster quoting.
Insure24 can help you align these controls with your combined aluminium manufacturing insurance programme at renewal.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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What is machinery entanglement in a factory setting?
It’s when a person (or their clothing, gloves, hair or tools) becomes caught by moving machinery such as rollers, belts,
rotating shafts, conveyors or winding stations. It often occurs during jam clearing, cleaning, adjustment or maintenance.
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Which insurance covers respond to machinery injury claims?
Employee injuries typically fall under employers’ liability (EL). If a contractor or visitor is injured, public liability may apply.
The exact response depends on the policy wording, the injured party’s status, and site control arrangements.
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What do insurers look for to control entanglement risk?
Underwriters typically focus on guarding (fixed/interlocked), emergency stops, lock-off/tag-out (LOTO) procedures,
training/competence records, supervision, and how non-routine tasks like jam clearing and maintenance are controlled.
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Do contractors need to be included in EL, or does PL apply?
It depends on the contract and the reality of control/supervision. Labour-only contractors can be treated as employees for liability
purposes and may need to be included under EL. Independent contractors are more commonly a PL exposure. Insure24 can help you align the
labour model with the insurer’s expectations.
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Can improving machine safety reduce premiums?
Often yes. Better guarding, stronger LOTO compliance, clearer competence records and improved incident learning can reduce insurer uncertainty,
improve appetite, and lead to more favourable terms. The impact depends on your claims history, exposure levels and overall programme structure.