Pneumatic Press Safety Tips To Follow

Pneumatic presses are certainly not new, as their origins can actually be traced back to the 18th Century. This technology may be enduring, but advancements are always being made. And as pneumatic press progress continues, the need for worker safety does, too. When using pneumatic hand presses and bench presses, proper safety precautions are an absolute must. In today’s post, we’ll discuss just a few tips to follow when using pneumatic press machines in your facility.

Release Compressed Air

There are many components within pneumatic presses that can pose a danger to workers. Chief among these potentially hazardous elements is the very thing that makes air press machines so unique: their compressed air. If released improperly, this compressed air can actually cause serious injury (or death, in rare cases). It’s essential that this compressed air be released the correct way during emergency shut-down situations, before maintenance checks, or whenever these pneumatic hand presses or bench presses are not in active use. Your machine should have a dump valve that releases the compressed air in a monitored environment. This valve is often referred to as the “lockout/tagout” safety valve or the relief valve. When this valve is engaged, it removes all pressure from the machine, thus eliminating the safety risk. It can also reduce confusion about whether the machine still contains compressed air or not in these situations, which also improves overall safety.

Restrain Tubing

Another feature of pneumatic presses that can present a hazard is its tubing. While the dangers are often overlooked, a tube containing pressurized air can do a lot of damage to sensitive areas, particularly the eyes, if it breaks. It’s important, therefore, to keep tubing restrained via group bundling or bonding. Additionally, adding features to guard the tubing in case it breaks (resulting in a rapid whipping motion that can result in injury) can be a good step to take.

Conduct a Risk Assessment

When utilizing pneumatic presses in your place of employment, it’s vital that you take all necessary safety precautions. That includes training your employees, complying to industry standards, and conducting risk assessments. These risk assessments will help to assess the space needed for these machines, the possible hazards it poses, and ways to decrease or eliminate the source of risks. By conducting a risk assessment, you’re making a commitment to protect your workers (and therefore, your business) from harm.

Pneumatic hand presses and bench presses are often necessary for creating a given product. But proper safety precautions must be taken to ensure the longevity of your organization and your workers. These tips can allow you to reach those goals — as can having the highest quality equipment available. To find out more about our pneumatic systems, please get in touch with us today.