Machinery and Machine Guarding

(The following are Technical Interpretations provided by the Florida Department of Labor and Employment Security)

What does "exposure to a hazard" mean? If there is an unguarded machine which is not being used, does that constitute exposure?

A hazard is the risk of exposure to machines, materials, processes, operating procedures or practices that can produce a harmful effect by causing injury or disease or by endangering the life of an employee. The risk of exposure to a machine that is required to be guarded does not in itself constitute a hazard if it is determined that: (a) the machine is out of service; or (b) the machine is not presently being operated, but when in operation, a guard is provided and used to prevent injury to the operator. {29 CFR 1910.212 (a) (1)}