Press brakes are massive pieces of equipment found in machine shops around the world. These devices increase warehouse productivity and make workers’ lives easier. Yet, because they’re so large, employees can injure themselves fairly quickly while using them. Follow this simple guide to press brake safety to prevent disasters from occurring in the workplace.
Start with the Basics
There are fundamentals of press brake safety that every user should follow. For starters, anyone operating a press brake should wear personal protective equipment. Employees should always wear goggles and gloves while using the machinery. People should also do a run-through on the machine before they use it to make sure it’s free of debris or any other contaminants. Workers should never leave a press brake unattended either. Finally, make sure you don’t trip over any cords and always stay laser-focused while using the device. Any sort of distraction will leave you more vulnerable to accidents. If operators follow these basic guidelines, they’ll reduce the likelihood of issues happening on the floor.
Press Brake Features That Promote Safety
Machine shop owners must purchase equipment from trusted manufacturers. If you buy from a reliable company like Mac-Tech, you can rest assured that your device meets all safety standards. Mac-Tech has plenty of hydraulic press brakes for sale that’ll increase your shop’s efficiency and keep your employees safe. For example, devices like the Power-Bend Falcon come equipped with a front- and rear-protection light curtain. Light curtains are sensory devices that prevent the machine from operating if a blockage is detected. This safety element stops the hydraulic press brake from running if someone’s hand is in a hazardous spot.
Other safety components on a press brake include a user-friendly touchscreen. Press brakes from Mac-Tech have touchscreens so that operators can set their specifications from a distance. This means people don’t have to come too close to the actual mechanisms. The Power-Bend Falcon also has a foot pedal feature that will raise the press brake only when the user places their foot on it. This element gives the operator more control while using the device. Finally, tools like Speed-Bend Pro have side protection covers to prevent hands and other objects from entering a restricted area.
This simple guide to press brake safety will help employers minimize the amount of workplace-related injuries. Press brakes are invaluable to a machine shop’s productivity. However, every worker must know how to operate the machine before they use it. If they follow the basic guidelines and take advantage of the safety features available on these devices, things will run smoothly.