Sheet metal fabricators need safe working conditions.
Punching is the process of applying pressure to a piece of sheet metal to shape or cut it into a form that has been set in advance. Punch presses use a male punch and female die that make contact when the punch is rotated up and down. Old punch presses are full revolution presses, which means they can only stop at dead center. Newer punch presses are automated and use brakes to stop at any point in the rotation (part rotation). A good overall tip for old punch presses is to be aware that the inability to stop is considered a major safety hazard.
Safety
Contributing to accidents such as amputations, lacerations and wrongful deaths, punch presses can be very dangerous if the proper precautions are not taken. Training employees on each type of punch press machine they use is the employer's responsibility. Both you and your employer should be aware of and use the appropriate safety precautions as defined by Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA).
Barrier Guards
Putting your hands into the operating zone of any punch press machine is not a good idea. A barrier guard is a cage placed around the operating zone to protect your hands and arms during the operation of a punch press. OSHA standards place a limit on the number of openings a barrier guard can have. In a full revolution punch press the barrier guards lock when the operation starts and unlock when the full revolution is complete. Never try to open a barrier guard when a full revolution punch press is operating.
Restraints
Restraining the movement of your hands and body when manually feeding a full revolution punch press, these safeguards come in the form of arm-type, overhead and sliding resistant restraints. The arm restraint restricts hand movement toward the point of operation. The overhead restraint also restricts hand and arm movement, and the sliding resistant restraint restricts movement in front of the machine from one side to the next. Always be careful not to move your hands or any part of your body in the direction of the zone of operation when the punch press is in use.
Two-Hand Trip
Activation of the full revolution power clutch press is triggered by two buttons located away from the operating zone. The buttons have to be depressed continuously at the same time to start the punching process. OSHA provides a safety distance formula for you to determine the minimum distance of the two-hand trip from the operating zone. If there are two, a two-hand trip must be provided for each one. A tip for a two-hand trip is to make sure it is located at least the minimum distance from the operating zone.
Tags: full revolution, operating zone, punch press, your hands, barrier guard, from operating, from operating zone