Glossary · Hazards and harm
Thermal hazard
In machine safety, a thermal hazard is a hazard arising from hot or cold surfaces, materials, flames or processes, which can cause burns, scalds, frostbite or heat stress.
- Machine safety
- Risk assessment
- Maintenance
In one sentence
A thermal hazard comes from hot or cold machine surfaces, media and processes that can cause burns, scalds or cold injuries.
Example
The sealing jaws of a packaging machine run at high temperature; a guard covers them in operation, and the manual states the cooling time before a jaw change.
How it applies
- Machine safety: Sources include heating elements, sealing jaws, molds, hot process media, exhaust parts and cryogenic or chilled surfaces. Insulation, guards and limits on the temperature of touchable surfaces come before gloves.
- Maintenance: Surfaces often stay hot long after shutdown. State cooling times or require a temperature check before work.
- Technical documentation: Name the surface and, where known, its temperature range, and use a safety sign at the machine that matches the manual.
- Evidence: Record measured surface temperatures and the measure applied where they exceed acceptable values.
Thermal hazard vs. fire hazard
A thermal hazard causes harm through contact with or proximity to heat or cold. A fire hazard concerns combustion starting or spreading. Heat from infrared sources is a related case covered under radiation hazard.