The characteristic feature of press brakes is to move a tool, usually the upper tool or the bending punch, it moves towards a fixed tool (V-die) which sits on top of bottom bed of the press, consequently bending the metal sheet placed between them. The freely accessible bending area of a press brake represents a serious risk of operators getting seriously injured by accidents, such as the injury or the loss of fingers or hands, which are frequently the consequences of accidents that happen at press brakes.

Therefore all applicable standards and accident preventing regulations stipulate the use of safety measures or accident preventing measures  at press brakes.

In order to prevent accidents, Fiessler Elektronik in Esslingen/Germany has developed the patented AKAS-II press brake protection system. The aim and object of this innovative finger protection device for press brakes is: the prevention of a finger or hand being squeezed between the punch and the inserted sheet metal. This is realized by the optical safety light grid which safeguards the area beneath or in front of the tool. The dangerous movement is stopped as soon as  a part of the body reaches into the safety  light grid.

Transmitter and receiver are combined securely to the ram of the machine and form a laser-optical safety light grid which is located in front of the bending punch and which moves simultaneously with the ram.

When a certain clearance between the tip of the tool and the metal sheet is reached, the machine control issues a muting command to the receiver element. At his point, the closing speed is reduced. For an effective protection of the operators even during slow speed, still more receiver elements are active. Only at the point where reaching into the gap between tool tip and metal sheet is made impossible, the protective function of the is no more required. The bending procedure is now completed despite of all beams being interrupted.

With the Laser-optical safety light grid, the hands remain free for handling the sheet metal during the operation under continuous protection of the extremities during the whole bending process.

Götz Fiessler

Reprinted from The Precision Sheet Metal Chronicle, published by ASMA.
Volume 8, Issue 5 - January 2006

Posted in Press Brake Safety, Product Announcements | Comments Off

When the press brake is set-up and running, and your operator is experienced with the sheets and steps involved, it seems like a pretty easy process. The operator is doing fine with the foot pedal and you can go back to taking care of business.

What about the safety of your press brake operator? While you go back to business, there are many ways the skilled operator could become injured. Here are the official guidelines from OSHA:

For ultimate safety while operating a press brake, there is always the AKAS II Automatic Press Brake Safety System. With the Fiessler safety laser light guard protecting your operators, you can go back to business with peace of mind.

Posted in Press Brake Safety | No Comments »

March 25, 2004

Mr. John Smith, President
XYZ Engineering, Inc.
PO Box 500
Canton, MA 02021

Dear Mr. Smith:

Thank you for your March 5, 2004 letter to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA’s) Directorate of Enforcement Programs (DEP). This letter constitutes OSHA’s interpretation only of the requirements discussed and may not be applicable to any questions not delineated within your original correspondence.

In your letter, you expressed concerns about worker safety and raised questions about the use of laser guarding devices. As you know, OSHA’s mission is to assure safe and healthful working conditions for the Nation’s workers. While OSHA recently stated that the use of laser guarding devices does not inherently violate the machine guarding provisions of 29 CFR 1910.212(a), the Agency provided that the use of a laser guarding device would constitute compliance with the standard only if the device effectively and reliably prevents worker injury by controlling the zone of danger associated with the machinery. Further, the scope of OSHA’s response was limited to hydraulic powered press brakes, and the Agency explicitly expressed reservations with respect to the use of laser guarding devices on other types of machinery/pieces of equipment.

While the Agency has determined that the laser guarding device may be considered an acceptable form of guarding under 1910.212, OSHA also has cautioned employers that guarding systems generally are appropriate only if they are designed, installed, used, and inspected in a manner that will effectively and reliably prevent injury. Thus, OSHA will consider carefully individual laser guarding systems installed in conjunction with hydraulic press brakes to determine whether they effectively and reliably protect employees from point of operation hazards and other equipment-related hazards. While the Agency will provide its inspectors with more specific guidance in the near future, inspectors currently will consider the laser guarding device in isolation, as well as in conjunction with the specific press on which it is installed, to ascertain whether it provides effective and reliable protection under the conditions in which the laser guarding device and the press brake are used at a specific worksite. Employers who are using laser guarding devices in a manner such that they do not work in conjunction with a hydraulic press brake to provide effective and reliable protection are subject to citation under 1910.212.

You expressed concern specifically about the ability of the laser guarding device to timely stop the ram and prevent employee injury. OSHA recognizes that a laser guarding device, which is not capable of always stopping the ram on a press brake prior to contact with a worker’s finger, hand, or other body part, does not provide effective and reliable protection, as required by 1910.212. This is one of the factors that OSHA inspectors will consider when inspecting worksites using laser guarding devices on hydraulic press brakes.

Thank you for your interest in occupational safety and health. We hope you find this information helpful. OSHA requirements are set by statute, standards, and regulations. Our interpretation letters explain these requirements and how they apply to particular circumstances, but they cannot create additional employer obligations. This letter constitutes OSHA’s interpretation of the requirements discussed. Note that our enforcement guidance may be affected by changes to OSHA rules. Also, from time to time we update our guidance in response to new information. To keep apprised of such developments, you can consult OSHA’s website at http://www.osha.gov. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact the Office of General Industry Enforcement at (202) 693-1850.

Sincerely,

Richard E. Fairfax, Director
Directorate of Enforcement Programs

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