OSHA's Press Brakes Guidelines

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration ensures that employers do what they can to keep the work environment safe. Accordingly, when it comes to working with heavy machinery such as powered press brakes, employers must be sure that safety guards are used to protect workers.

Point of Operation

• The point of operation on press brakes, which are used to bend sheet metal, pose safety hazards to operators. If hands, arms or other body parts get in the way of the point of operation, severe injuries can result. So safeguarding the points of operation on press brakes is an effective safety measure.

Types

• OSHA identifies four types of safeguarding devices for press brakes' points of operation: presence-sensing device, two-hand control device, pullback device and restraint device.

  Presence-sensing devices automatically stop a machine stroke if the sensing field is disturbed. Two-hand control devices keep workers' hands away from points of operation. Pullback devices and restraint devices also serve to keep operators' hands away from points of operation.

Identification

• Before operating powered press brakes, it is essential for operators and workers to identify any defects that could lead to hazards or could make the safeguards malfunction. Workers must never attempt to fix a defected press brake that is still energized.