MTS Material Test Systems - Manual (Page 27)

4.2.0 Safety Practices
4.2.1.0 General Safety Practices
If you have system related responsibilities (that is, if you are an operator, service engineer, or maintenance
person), you should study this manual carefully before you attempt to perform any test system procedure.
You should receive training on this system or a similar system to ensure a thorough knowledge of your
equipment and the safety issues that are associated with its use. In addition, you should gain an understanding
of system functions by studying the other manuals supplied with your test system. Contact MTS for information
about the content and dates of training classes that are offered.
It is very important that you study the following safety information to ensure that your facility procedures and
the system’s operating environment do not contribute to or result in a hazardous situation. Remember, you
cannot eliminate all the hazards associated with this system, so you must learn and remain aware of the
hazards that apply to your system at all times. Use these safety guidelines to help learn and identify hazards
so that you can establish appropriate training and operating procedures and acquire appropriate safety
equipment (such as gloves, goggles, and hearing protection).
Each test system operates within a unique environment which includes the following known variables:
• Facility variables (facility variables include the structure, atmosphere, and utilities)
• Unauthorized customer modifications to the equipment
• Operator experience and specialization
• Test specimens
Because of these variables (and the possibility of others), your system can operate under unforeseen
circumstances that can result in an operating environment with unknown hazards.
Improper installation, operation, or maintenance of your system can result in hazardous conditions that can
cause death, personal injury, or damage to the equipment or to the specimen. Common sense and a thorough
knowledge of the system’s operating capabilities can help to determine an appropriate and safe approach to
its operation.
Observe the prescribed safety practices before and during system operation.
It is the user’s responsibility to take the machine out of service and contact MTS Service if discrepancies in
system operation are found.
4.2.2.0 Safety Practices Before Operating the System
Before you apply power to the test system, review and complete all of the safety practices that are applicable
to your system. The goal, by doing this, is to improve the safety awareness of all personnel involved with the
system and to maintain, through visual inspections, the integrity of specific system components.
Read all manuals
Study the contents of this manual and the other manuals provided with your system before attempting to
perform any system function for the first time. Procedures that seem relatively simple or intuitively obvious
can require a complete understanding of system operation to avoid unsafe or dangerous situations.
MTS Material Test System Operation 27
4.0 Safety