As described herein, there is provided safety apparatus for continuous rotary blow molding machines of the type wherein the extruder operates independently of the machine to continuously extrude plastic tube through its die head during the interruption of operation by the blow molding machine. The safety apparatus includes a blow tube mounted on the extruder for directing air under pressure against the plastic tube to deflect the tube away from the molds of the molding machine upon interruption of the operation of the blow molding machine. A conveyor, operative at the same time as the blow tube and extending in a direction coincident with the direction of pressurized air, receives the diverted plastic tube and carries the plastic tube to a receptacle. The blow tube and conveyor remain operative at least until the machine is restarted. In order to permit the plastic tube to resume its normal direction of discharge into the molds, there is also provided a cutting device for cutting the plastic tube right at the die head of the extruder a predetermined time after the machine is restarted. Finally, a safety gate, providing access to the molds of the machine when open, includes safety switches which disable the machine when the gate is open.