What safety precautions should be observed?
No person should operate a brake press unless properly trained.
Lack of training is a common cause of injury.
Standard operating procedures (SOPs) must always be followed.
Most brake press injuries result in fingers being severed or badly crushed.
Hands can be trapped between the descending blade and the press block,
or between the press bed and the sheet of metal being shaped.
By law, all press brakes must have an infrared safety system. This identifies
when the operator is near the machine and will slow down the blade stroke.
In most cases of injury the machine is unguarded or the system installed
to protect the operator is not active.
Setting the press block or blade in position is particularly hazardous.
Safety checklist
Before you start check that:
- the mode of control is set correctly for the work to be
done
- the tonnage is adjusted according to the work to be done
- never overpass the tooling capacity
- a minimum clearance is set between the blade and the vee
block when the blade is in the UP position so that the material can
slide through but fingers can't
- the upper and lower tools are clean
- the knife and the vee block are correctly secured
- the floor around the machine is clean.
- all safety devices are working properly.
During operation
- Keep your hands clear of dies.
- Keep your body away from moving material during forming.
In particular, keep your fingers clear of the blade.
- Support heavy plates with the appropriate lifting equipment.
- Move your hands away when the plate makes contact with
the blade. Your hands can be crushed if they come between the plate and
the machine.
- Keep your body clear of the UPWARDS movement of the plate
during bending. The material is likely to be forced upward and hit
the top of the machine. Therefore protect your hands against being crushed
and support the material from behind as shown in
the photograph on the left.
- Support heavy plates with the appropriate lifting equipment.
