A press brake is one of the popular machines used for sheet metal bending including bottom bending and air bending. A work-piece is clamped between a punch and a die to create a pre-determined bend. These sheet metal brakes are well-known for their versatility, ease-of-use, minimal maintenance, durability, and dependability. However, the tool must be operated carefully, as negligence leads to unforeseen accidents and injuries to people involved. The post, thus aims to familiarize you with some of the potential hazards associated with press brakes and solutions to protect yourself from those dangers.
6 Common Hazards Caused by Press Bakes
The following are the commonly heard hazards caused when operating press brakes.
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Hazard: Body Parts Get Caught
Example: During bending operations, there are chances that the operators’ hand may get jammed between the stock and the slide.
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Hazard: Electrical
Example: When switches, wires, and plugs are not in good operating condition, employees may be exposed to electric shock, electrocution, and burns.
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Hazard: Hearing Damage or Loss
Example: Power presses are inherently noisy and frequent exposure to such high level of noise can cause hearing damage to the operators. To avoid this, operators can either use industrial grade ear plugs or enclose the machine using noise barriers.
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Hazard: Foot Injury
Example: Press breaks with foot pedals can cause several foot injuries. These can also happen while using the machine by standing on a slipping, or uneven terrain. It is advisable to use approved protective footwear when working with sheet metal bending brakes.
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Hazard: Injuries with Sharp Objects
Example: This happens when loading and unloading work-pieces.
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Hazard: Fatigue During Work Hours
Example: Many times, operators would require to work for long hours to meet the project deadlines. This lead to fatigue and lack of concentration. Unforeseen accidents can happen during these times.
To avoid such potential dangers and hazards, several safety practices can be employed stringently as follow:
- Inspect sheet metal bending press brakes at regular intervals. Ensure that there is no loose connection and all guards and other protective devices are in their proper places.
- Ensure that the operators read the operation and safety guidelines and follow them strangely.
- Use proper cloths, footwear and other safety goggles as required.
- In case any abnormalities noticed in the functioning, stop the machine and rectify the problem immediately.
Follow up-to-date housekeeping procedures to ensure that the area around press brakes is clear of slip and trip hazards.
Strictly following the guidelines given in the post, among several others, guarantee safe operation, whilst giving you the expected results.
When buying press breaks, you must consider quality seriously. Always prefer buying the product only from trusted manufacturers and distributors. Woodward Fab is one of the leading names in the industry who offers value-driven press brakes to perform box forming, flattening, hemming, flanging, and bending safely. Woodward Fab’s press brakes are pneumatically powered and can move 10 times faster than many other hydraulic presses in the market. Also, the brakes can be easily stopped by opening the valve, and releasing the air. This is one of the safety features that helps minimizing potential hazards. Additionally, these pneumatic presses have very few moving parts. This guarantee maintenance-free operation and safe working.
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