Put safety first during routine conveyor belt repairs.

By Patrick Mukushina

When it comes time for conveyor belt repair, the most important part of the process is often the most overlooked. Safety is of utmost importance on the job site every day, as well as during a belt repair. Workplace accidents are painful to both workers and the bottom line. A simple cut can add up, affecting productivity and, oftentimes, resulting in medical bills and a workers’ compensation claim.

Lightweight and portable, electric belt cutters are capable of quick and accurate horizontal and longitudinal cuts of all lengths.

In addition to wearing personal protective equipment, preparing the machinery that will be worked on using appropriate lock out/tag out procedures, as well as making sure you’re secured to a sturdy structure, following the proper procedures, and using the right products, is an essential part of a safe and successful belt repair.

Why clamp?

Clamping the belt is a necessity every time you repair a belt. It doesn’t matter if you are 10 feet off the ground or 100 feet off the ground, clamping is one of the most important safety precautions you can take during a repair.

Serious injuries are possible when clamping is done without using the proper tools and products. Oftentimes, people will use a c-clamp and lumber to hold their belt. While that may seem attractive for a quick fix, many things can go wrong. Lumber will bend easily, leading to only two points of contact with the belt. C-clamps are also prone to slipping, which may cause injury or a delay in repairs if the belt falls to the ground.

A good skive on a belt reduces the splice profile for a better interaction with cleaners and the rest of the conveyor system.

Belt clamps are designed to work specifically with conveyor belts. Made with durable materials, they are more reliable than a piece of lumber that can easily snap under pressure. Belt clamps provide even tensioning across the entire belt width. They are also available in a variety of sizes so that you can choose the right one for your belt. Finally, many quality belt clamps now feature “safety pins” — retaining pins that prevent the scissors from slipping off of the clamp bar.

The importance of a squared cut

When working against a tight maintenance deadline, it is essential to avoid skipping a step, such as squaring the belt. Only a few minutes of time can make or break the accuracy of your splice. An accurate, squared cut will enhance belt and splice performance and ensure that the belt tension is distributed evenly across the belt. It also discourages mis-tracking, which can occur when a cut is made on an angle, causing the belt to wander.

Belt clamps are designed to work specifically with conveyor belts and provide even tensioning across the entire belt width.

There are a few different options when it comes time to actually cut the belt. The knife is an attractive option because it is readily available and inexpensive; however, it can be a safety and accuracy nightmare. Working with an exposed blade always presents a safety hazard, and when you pair that with the several passes it takes to complete the cut, it increases the risk of injury. Multiple passes with the knife also diminish the chances that you will have a straight and accurate cut. Even if you’ve squared your belt, if the cut is incorrect, mis-tracking will occur.

There are two main options when it comes to belt cutters — hand-powered and electric. Either is acceptable because they are both specifically designed to cut a belt. Finding a belt cutter with an enclosed blade is a big safety advantage since exposed blades are dangerous. And since a good splice can’t be achieved without a good cut, accuracy is also a big factor.