Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001B Hazard: CRUSHING

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that: (a) Employee(s) were exposed to amputations or crushing injuries in that press brakes were protected by means of light curtains which were not properly adjusted, which had cells/beams taped over and which were positioned too close to the point of operation/danger zone. One feasible and acceptable means for abating this condition would include training operators/maintenance employees to ensure the original and ongoing competency of employees responsible for maintaining, setting up or operating foot-pedal activated press brake(s) and for adjusting/setting light curtains as the primary form of point of operation guarding. Training should include, but may not be limited to: the principles associated with blanking cells/beams on light curtains in accordance with the individual manufacturer's specifications; the requirement for and/or knowledge necessary to determine the safe distance that guards should be positioned from the danger line/point of operation based on the required opening as specified in the individual manufacturer's specification and in American National Standards Institute (ANSI) B11.19; and the necessity of verifying/checking the safe distance of point of operation guarding at the time of each set up, at the change of jobs, at the change of each shift.