Introduction to Health and Safety at Work

10.5.1 Conveyors and elevators 
Conveyors transport loads along a given level which 
may not be completely horizontal, whereas elevators 
move loads from one level or fl oor to another. 
There are three common forms of 
conveyor
– belt, 
roller and screw conveyors. The most common hazards 
and preventative measures are: 
➤
the in-running nip, where a hand is trapped between 
the rotating rollers and the belt. Protection from 
this hazard can be provided by nip guards and trip 
devices 
➤
entanglement with the power drive requiring the 
fi tting of fi xed guards and the restriction of loose 
clothing which could become caught in the drive 
➤
loads falling from the conveyor. This can be avoided 
by edge guards and barriers 
➤
impact against overhead systems. Protection 
against this hazard may be given by the use of 
bump caps, warning signs and restricted access 
➤
contact hazards prevented by the removal of sharp 
edges, conveyor edge protection and restricted 
access
➤
manual handling hazards
➤
noise and vibration hazards.
Screw conveyors, often used to move very viscous sub-
stances, must be provided with either fi xed guards or 
covers to prevent accidental access. People should be 
prohibited from riding on belt conveyors and emergency 
trip wires or stop buttons must be fi tted and be oper-
ational at all times. 
Elevators
are used to transport goods between 
fl oors, such as the transportation of building bricks to 
upper storeys during the construction of a building or 
the transportation of grain sacks into the loft of a barn. 
Guards should be fi tted at either end of the elevator and 
around the power drive. The most common hazard is 
injury due to loads falling from elevators. There are also 

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