Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 002 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 employees were exposed to crushing injuries from unexpected ram movement while operating the press in the "inch" mode: a) Press Area - Employees "inched" the Baldwin 200 ton press by using a single button control on the control panel. This control was so located that the operator could easily access the point of operation of the press. Press last used on or about February 21, 1992. Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to control this hazard is to design the "inch" operating means to prevent exposure of the operators hand written the point of operation by: 1. Requiring concurrent use of both hands to actuate the clutch, or, 2. Being a single control protected against accidental actuation and so located that the worker cannot reach into the point of operation while operating the control.