Many unnecessary injuries occur every year due to a lack of proper machine safeguarding.
Depending on the type of machinery involved, there may be a particular ANSI standard with which the machine should comply. OSHA has requirements with respect to machine safeguarding. Many times employers or employees remove or disable machine safeguards which then cause injury. Generally speaking Engineers are taught that if a hazard can be identified, the first priority is to design out the hazard. If this can't be done, and it can't in many cases, the second priority is to guard the hazard.