Labor & Industries (L&I), Washington State

Machine Safety Chapter 296-806, WAC

Effective Date: 01/01/05

WAC 296-806-455 Mechanical Power Presses

For printing

OPERATIONS

WAC 296-806-45528

Establish die setting procedures

You must

• Develop and use procedures to protect employees from the hazards of die setting.
• Make sure die setters are provided with at least the following information:
  • – Rated press capacity requirements for the die
  • – Weight of the upper die and other slide attachments required for job setup and setting counterbalance air pressure
  • – Total die weight

Note: This information may be stamped on the die or kept in a file that's readily available to the die setters.

WAC 296-806-45530

Handle dies safely

You must

• Make sure dies requiring mechanical handling have handling equipment attachment points.
• Use die stops or other means to prevent losing control of the die while setting or removing dies from presses that are inclined.
• Make sure the upper and lower shoes will securely mount the die to the bolster and slide.
• Use additional means of securing the upper shoe to the slide where clamp caps or set screws are used in conjunction with punch stems.
• Make sure spring- loaded turnover bars are provided for presses designed to accept them.

WAC 296-806-45532

Protect die setters during setup and tryout

You must

1) Use safety blocks when an employee has to put their hands or other body part into the point of operation to adjust or repair dies.

2) Protect die setters doing die tryout from point-of-operation hazards by at least one of the following:

• Properly installed, adjusted, and maintained guards or devices
• Proper use of INCH mode (part-revolution clutch press)
• Proper use of JOG mode (full-revolution clutch press)

WAC 296-806-45534

Train press operators

You must

1) Train operators to safely operate the press.

2) Make sure modified or reconstructed presses have instructions to establish new or changed guidelines for use and care of the press.

WAC 296-806-45536

Operate mechanical power presses safely

You must

• Operate the press within the manufacturer’s rated capacities.

Note: Rated capacities include, but aren't limited to: – Structural capacity – Torque capacity – Energy capacity – Thermal capacity – Attachment weight – Die shutheight

WAC 296-806-45538

Provide tools and other means to protect press operators

You must

• Make sure hand tools are provided and used to free and remove workpieces or scrap stuck in the die.
• Provide means for handling scrap from roll feed or random length stock operations.
• Provide and use means to keep operators and die setters from reaching into the point of operation or other hazard area to lubricate material or die components.

Note: Means for lubricating include, but aren't limited to: – Brushes – Swabs – Lubricating rolls – Manual spray systems – Automatic spray systems Handles on brushes or swabs should be long enough to keep persons using them clear of the point of operation.

WAC 296-806-45540

Inspect and maintain presses

You must

1) Make sure maintenance personnel are trained and competent to inspect and maintain power presses.

2) Keep records of all maintenance or repair work.

3) Inspect and test the following press systems at least weekly:

• Clutch/brake mechanism
• Antirepeat feature
• Single stroke mechanism
• Keep records of inspections and tests

Exemption: You don't have to do weekly inspections if your press has both: – Performance of safety-related functions monitoring (previously called control reliability) and – A stopping-performance monitor (previously called brake-system monitor) doesn't require weekly inspections

Reference: For requirements for these monitoring devices, see Provide additional safeguards when the operator puts one or both hands into the point of operation, WAC 296-806-45526.

WAC 296-806-45542

Make sure presses and operating practices used in the PSDI (Presence Sensing Device Initiation) mode of operation meet these requirements

You must

• Make sure presses and operating practices used in the PSDI mode meet the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.217(h), Presence Sensing Device Initiation (PSDI).
  

Note: 29 CFR 1910.217(h) contains requirements for certification and validation of mechanical power presses used in the PSDI mode of operation.