⚠️ Risk assessment
Download link: #302 - Vinyl cutter - 260923.pdf
# | Identify Hazards | Risks | Who may be harmed | Severity | Control Measures | Likelihood | Risk Rating |
1 | Electricity | Electric shock | User | High | All electrical equipment should be checked for electrical safety prior to use. Equipment must not be used unless they have a PAT test label on. It is the users responsibility to do a visual check of the equipment. If any defects are found (i.e. cracked casing, defect in lead etc) the equipment is not to be used, to be quarantined, the safety officer informed, and a defect label attached. Induction covers inspection of equipment before usage. | Low | Med |
2 | Misuse of equipment | Damage to user or equipment | User, Bystander | High | Members are inducted into the correct use of the equipment and understand associated risks. Members found to be deliberately misusing equipment may have their use of the machine restricted or revoked altogether. | Low | Med |
3 | Sharp cutting blade | Cuts, lacerations | Operators | High | Do not touch the blade directly. Switch off and isolate the machine before changing, removing or adjusting the blade. Use the blade holder correctly and keep spare blades secured. Only trained personnel to replace blades. The induction covers safe handling of the machine. | Low | Med |
4 | Moving cutting carriage | Trapping / crushing | Operators | High | Keep hands, fingers, hair and loose clothing away from the moving carriage and rollers while operating. Never reach into the machine while it is running. Do not manually move the carriage during operation. Stop the machine before clearing material. The induction covers safe handling of the machine. | Low | Med |
5 | Pinch/drive rollers | Trapping fingers | Operators | High | Keep hands clear of pinch rollers and feed mechanism. Load material only with the machine stopped. Do not attempt to pull material through the machine manually. The induction covers safe handling of the machine. | Low | Med |
6 | Unexpected machine movement | Injury to user or damage to the machine | Operators / bystanders | Low | Check the work area before starting. Keep the machine under control during operation. Stop the machine before adjustments or maintenance. Investigate abnormal noises or movement immediately and isolate the equipment if necessary. The induction covers when and how the machine operates and moves | Low | Low |
7 | Electrical overheating | Fire | Operators / bystanders | High | Do not overload electrical sockets. Keep ventilation areas clear. Do not operate with damaged electrical components. Switch off and isolate the machine if overheating, burning smells, smoke or abnormal electrical behaviour occurs. | Low | Med |
8 | Material movement | Uncontrolled feed | Operators | High | Correctly position and secure the material using the pinch rollers. Ensure sufficient space is available for material to feed through the machine. Check that the material is suitable for the plotter. The induction covers correct material usage | Low | Med |
9 | Damaged cutting tool | Blade breakage | Operators | Med | Inspect the blade before use. Use the correct blade and holder. Set blade exposure and cutting force correctly. Replace worn or damaged blades. Do not use damaged tooling. The Induction covers correct blade setup | Low | Med |
10 | Trips from cables / materials | Injury from fall, damage to equipment | Operators / bystanders | Med | Keep electrical cables and loose material away from walkways. Maintain a tidy work area. Store rolls and unused materials safely. | Low | Low |
11 | Manual handling of machine/ material rolls | Injury to user or damage to the machine | Operators | Med | Assess heavier rolls/material before lifting. Use suitable lifting techniques and assistance where necessary. Do not attempt to move the machine by inappropriate parts. | Low | Low |
12 | Debris from materials | Interference in normal operation of the machine | Operators | Low | Keep the cutting area clean. Remove waste material regularly. | Low | Low |
13 | Cleaning and maintenance | Damage to the machine, incorrect set up | Operators | High | Switch off and disconnect/isolate electrical power before maintenance, blade replacement or cleaning around moving parts. Only competent persons should undertake repairs. | Low | Low |
14 | Unauthorised/ inexperienced use | Damage to the machine or users | Operators | High | Restrict operation to trained and authorised users. Provide instruction covering safe operation, blade handling, loading material, emergency stopping and isolation. Covered in induction. | Low | Low |
15 | Software / control error causing incorrect cutting | Damage to the machine or users | Operators | Low | Check the programmed design, material position, cutting speed and force before starting. Carry out a test cut where appropriate. Stop the machine if the cutting operation behaves unexpectedly. | Low | Low |
Created 2026-09-23 19:57:57 UTC by Neil Burley
Updated 2026-09-23 20:01:41 UTC by Neil Burley