Do Your Machines Have Anti-Restart Protection? Here’s How to Find Out

ROCKFORD, IL, JULY 19, 2022 — In order to meet certain regulations, and as a best safety practice, machinery must be prevented from automatically or unintentionally restarting when an unscheduled power interruption occurs. The safety regulations that reference preventing accidental operation can be found in OSHA 1910.217 (b)(8)(ii) and ANSI B11.1-2009 (6)(2)(3). OSHA 1910 Subpart…

What The Wave of Retiring Machinists Means to Plant Safety

ROCKFORD, IL, MAY 17, 2022 – Within the next decade approximately 2.7 million “Baby Boomers” (b. 1946-1964) will retire, thereby ensuring that tens of thousands of skilled, well-paid positions will become available without a ready supply of American workers to fill them. Statistics paint an especially gloomy picture for the manufacturing sector, a widening of…

Machine Safeguarding Technology Keep Operators Out of a Pinch

ROCKFORD, IL, APRIL 25, 2022 —  Pinching your finger in a door can be painful but certainly not life threatening. Pinch point injuries involving industrial machinery are another story, one that rarely has a happy ending. A pinch point is created when two objects come together and there is a possibility that a person could be…

Do’s and Dont’s of Safely Using Bench Grinders

Statistics indicate half of grinder accidents result from operator error ROCKFORD, IL, APRIL 22, 2022 —  Because grinders are commonly used machines in workplaces nationwide, many workers become complacent about their hazards. However, grinders are very dangerous when used improperly. In fact, statistics show that more than half of grinder injuries are the result of operator error. Rockford Systems, LLC,…

Protector™ Series Light Curtains with Expanded Features

Reliable detection, advanced safety functions, combined with simplified selection, installation and maintenance ROCKFORD, IL, JANUARY 25, 2022 — Rockford Systems, LLC today introduced its new Protector Series Light Curtains for safeguarding personnel near industrial machinery with the potential to cause injury. Protector Series Light Curtains feature bi-color alignment indicators, simplified resolution settings, automatic diagnostics, remote fixed blanking, and…

Annual Machine Safeguarding Audit Service

ROCKFORD, IL, DECEMBER 10, 2021 — It is a common misconception that once machine safeguarding equipment has been installed onto industrial machinery, no further work is required for the safety of the employees operating it, as long as the machine was in compliance with OSHA regulation and recognized industry standards. The consequences of this misunderstanding have…

Machine Guarding Named to OSHA’s Top Ten Violations in 2021

ROCKFORD, IL, NOVEMBER 30, 2021 — The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently released the top 10 most cited violations for its fiscal year 2021. These citations follow inspections of worksites by federal OSHA. Lack of machine safeguarding once again made the “Top Ten List” of frequently cited safety violations of 2021 with a total of…

Pressure-Sensitive Safety Mats Prevent Employee Injuries: Detects presence of workers around hazardous machines

ROCKFORD, IL, OCTOBER 7, 2021 —  Rockford Systems, LLC., a premier provider of machine safeguarding products and services, is helping manufactures achieve additional machine safeguarding protection with a complete line of pressure-sensitive safety mats and accessories. Using weight sensors, pressure-sensitive safety mats detect the presence of workers, vehicles or production materials and trigger an emergency stop that removes…

Rockford Systems Detect-a-Finger® Protects Welder Operators’ Fingers from Injuries

ROCKFORD, IL, SEPTEMBER 10, 2021 — The Rockford Systems RKC-500 Detect-A-Finger® drop-probe device prevents serious injuries to welder operators by halting welding machinery from starting its stroke if a finger or hand is detected in the point-of-operation area. To block welding splash, additional lightweight clear plastic shielding can also be attached to the device’s rod. The key components of RKC-500 Detect-A-Finger®…

Rockford Systems Reopens Machine Safeguarding Seminars to In-Person Learning

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – ROCKFORD, IL, MARCH 26, 2021 – Rockford Systems, LLC. today announced plans to reopen its in-person Machine Safeguarding Seminars following the suspension of live learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The first two-and-half day live seminar is scheduled to restart April 21-23 with additional seminars set for July 21-23 and October 20-22,…

Rockford Systems and ISS Safety Announce Strategic Partnership to Serve Machine Safeguarding Customers Globally

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – ROCKFORD, IL, JANUARY 12, 2021 — Rockford Systems LLC and ISS Safety, LTD. have entered into a strategic partnership that provides machine safeguarding customers in North America, Europe and Asia with uniform, single-source solutions to reduce risk of accidents and improve employee safety. Rockford Systems was founded in 1971 and is…

Machine Guarding Named on OSHA’s Top Ten Violations in 2019

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – ROCKFORD, IL, DECEMBER 17, 2019 — Recent media reports have put a spotlight on machine shop injuries. A newly released study completed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) regarding injuries in the workplace found over 34,000 people sustain a lost-time injury in the workplace annually due to machine accidents. Additionally,…

Rockford Systems Becomes Supplier Member of Robotic Industries Association

Rockford, IL, December 12, 2016 Rockford Systems, LLC., a premier provider of machine safeguarding products and services, is pleased to announce that it has become a Supplier Member of the Robotic Industries Association (RIA), underscoring the increasing role machine guarding plays in protecting operators of robotic welding, assembly, CNC and metal cutting equipment. “Robotics is…

Rockford Systems Joins National Safety Council

Rockford, IL, December 6, 2016 Rockford Systems, LLC., a premier provider of machine safeguarding products and services, announced today that it has become a member of the National Safety Council (NSC), a nonprofit organization with the mission to save lives by preventing injuries and deaths at work, in homes and communities, and on the road…

Carpenter’s Place – A Cause to Celebrate: Rockford Systems Makes Generous Donation to Local Homeless Center

Rockford Systems, a member of the local business community since 1975, has teamed with Carpenter’s Place to help previously homeless men and women celebrate Thanksgiving by hosting a charity presentation scheduled for 2:00pm, Monday, November 21 at the homeless center’s 1149 Railroad Avenue location in Rockford. Rockford Systems will be donating food, clothing and living…

Rockford Systems to Attend FABTECH 2016 Trade Show

Rockford, IL, November 10, 2016 Rockford Systems, LLC., a premier provider of machine safeguarding products and services, announced today it will be attending FABTECH 2016 in Las Vegas, November 16-18 in booth #C14023, where it will showcase its full range of Machine Safety Life-Cycle Solutions engineered to prevent employee injuries and bring equipment to compliance…

Risk Assessments Identify Potentially Deadly Lack of Machine Safeguarding in Metal Fabricating Plant

Rockford, IL, November 9, 2016 According to OSHA statistics, nearly 5,000 workers in metal fabricating plants suffer non-fatal injuries annually in the United States, or approximately 3X more than those employed in electronics or apparel manufacturing. Even with strict OSHA standards and ANSI regulations in place, unguarded hazardous machinery remains a major source of amputations…

Joe Nitiss Appointed CEO of Rockford Systems, LLC

Rockford, IL, August 8, 2016 Nitiss to lead Rockford Systems aggressive growth strategy by expanding new products and services for machine safeguarding and industrial safety at Rockford Rockford Systems, LLC, a leading manufacturer of machine safeguarding products solutions, today announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Joe Nitiss as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective…