The intent of _______________ is to minimize the risk of accidents from machine-operator contact.

• A. Machine guarding
• B. Lockout
• C. Tagout
• D. PPE

Answer: (A)

Machine guarding is designed to prevent contact with moving machine parts by creating a physical barrier or safeguarding devices that keep hands and other body parts away from the danger zones. This directly reduces the chance of injury from points of operation, nip points, and rotating or powered parts during normal operation, maintenance, or cleaning. While lockout/tagout and PPE are important safety measures, they serve different purposes: lockout/tagout prevents unexpected machine startups and controls energy sources, and PPE provides personal protection but does not eliminate the hazard itself. Because the main goal here is to stop access to the hazardous areas where contact could occur, guarding best achieves the intent.