Manufacturer of Hydraulic Presses

Making Hydraulic Press Safety Is number 1

June 15, 2017


Safety is a continuous area of concern for machine shops. Accidents can happen even to experienced operators. With all the power these presses deliver, taking the proper measures to ensure hydraulic press safety is essential.

Pressmaster wants to keep your workers protected. Your shop safety is number one with them, just like it is for you. The process starts by offering hydraulic presses with safety designed in and built in. And they now offer a Security Kit that follows OSHA safety standards.

 

Identifying Problem Areas


The Occupational Health and Safety Administration, better known as OSHA, has pinpointed four areas where problems are like to happen. At each of these points, the operator has greater interaction with the hydraulic press.

Times when accidents are more likely to occur include:

  • When the press cycle is started and then stopped
  • When material gets fed into the machine
  • When the material is positioned in the press
  • When the material is taken out of the machine

As the operator feeds stock into the machine, he increases the chance that he lets fingers, hands or feet get too close to moving parts. Another problem is the type of stock used in machine shops. It is often sharp, oddly shaped, cumbersome and heavy. It can be slippery and hard to control. Just getting material into and out of the press can lead to accident.
 

Making the Process Safer

The biggest boost to hydraulic press safety is an educated operator. Machine shops that train workers in safety measures have lower accident rates. In both the U.S., through OSHA, and Canada, with the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, standards are spelled out for shop safety.

Workers need ongoing training to point out how accidents happen. They need proper instruction on new equipment. Classes in basic shop safety keep them aware of potential problems. An alert, knowledgeable worker is far more likely to avoid injury.

Another major factor for overall safety is a clean shop. Floors and other surfaces need to be decluttered and tidy. Beside making it easier to find things, it reduces the chances of slips, trips and falls.

OSHA safety standards also point out ways that additional components for hydraulic presses can improve safety. These include:

  • Barrier guards on the hydraulic press
  • Electronic safety devices to stop machinery when they sense the presence of the operator
  • Two-hand tripping devices
  • Dual palm buttons
  • Emergency stop button
  • Pump and motor enclosure
  • Hand tools so the operator can keep his limbs from direct contact with the press
  • Guarded foot pedals
  • Keeping controls a distance from the die area

 

Increasing Shop Safety with the Security Kit


The Pressmaster Security Kit follows the OSHA safety standards to help increase worker protection. The aim is to reduce potential hazards and keep hydraulic press operators safer.

The Electrical Panel component, which is approved by the Canadian Standards Association (CSA), includes:

 

  • E-stop on electrical penal
  • E-stop near the levers
  • Safety switches on the guards
  • Jog mode, which advances without pressure
  • By-pass key switch
  • Additional manifold
  • Special electric valve
  • Pipe and wiring necessary for additional installation

 

The Guard component on the hydraulic press includes

  • Front safety guard
  • Back safety guard
  • Left-side safety guard
  • Right side safety guard
  • Sheet of one-quarter-inch Lexan both front and back


When any of the four guards are opened, the press shifts to jog mode at low pressure. If the operator needs to change this, he can request a turn the key to the ON position. At that point, the press switches to full pressure, even with the guards open.

Pressmaster has been helping hydraulic press operators stay safe for over forty years. Machine shops know they can trust the safety and durability of Pressmaster equipment. They are also experts in tailoring hydraulic presses to the exact needs of a shop. The same is true of the Security Kit. It can be adapted to fit your requirements.

Looking into increasing shop safety? Call the experts at Pressmaster today to discuss how the Security Kit can offer increased protection to your workers.