Forging Press Safety Considerations

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (or OSHA), is responsible for creating safety guidelines for nearly every industrial process in the world. Without these safety regulations, many of the dangerous factory processes that employees complete on a day-to-day basis would be even more dangerous and deadly. OSHA is responsible for improving the health and safety of factory employees everyday.
The forging industry is no different. OSHA has many rules and safety regulations regarding the operation of forging machinery as well as other manufacturing equipment. Most of the basic rules of safety around forging machinery revolve around the operation of the equipment and the protection of employees during unit operation. To keep employees safe, a variety of specific forging rules are set in place, such as:
The necessity of thermostatic control on any heating elements
Specific exhaust ports for lead-based metals
All operating personnel must wear gloves, helmets, eye protection, aprons, and other safety gear while working near forging equipment
A special covered container for dross nearby
Regular safety checks by employees and non-factory workers
Regular maintenance checks by qualified personnel
Anchor support for presses that are periodically inspected and maintained
Fully-supported hydraulic press machines that support the weight of the machine at all times
Scale guards to prevent scale from flying off of the metal pieces and injuring workers
Clear labels on power switches, operational switches, manual controls, and automatic controls
There are many other rules and regulations involved with the operation of forging presses, but all are necessary for the protection of the workers. Without the clear guidelines of OSHA, more factory injuries would occur and metal forging would be a much more dangerous process.