Subchapter 7. General Industry Safety Orders
Group 8. Points of Operation and Other Hazardous Parts of Machinery
Article 55. Power Operated Presses

§4208. Point of Operation Devices.

(a) Point of operation devices shall protect the operator by:

(1) Preventing and/or stopping normal stroking of the press if the operator's hands are inadvertently placed in the point of operation; or

(2) Preventing the operator from inadvertently reaching into the point of operation; or

(3) Withdrawing the operator's hands if they are inadvertently located in the point of operation, as the dies close; or

(4) Preventing the operator from inadvertently reaching into the point of operation at all times; or

(5) Requiring application of both of the operator's hands to machine operating controls and locating such controls at such a safety distance from the point of operation that the slide completes the downward travel or stops before the operator can reach into the point of operation with his hands; or

(6) Enclosing the point of operation before a press stroke can be initiated, and maintaining this closed condition until the motion of the slide has ceased; or

(7) Enclosing the point of operation before a press stroke can be initiated, so as to prevent an operator from reaching into the point of operation prior to die closure or prior to cessation of slide motion during the downward stroke.

(b) A gate or movable barrier device shall protect the operator as follows:

(1) A Type A gate or movable barrier device shall protect the operator in the manner specified in subsection (a)(6) of this section, and

(2) A Type B gate or movable barrier device shall protect the operator in the manner specified in subsection (a)(7) of this section.

(c) A presence sensing point of operation device shall protect the operator as provided in subsection (a) (1) of this section, and shall be interlocked into the control circuit to prevent or stop slide motion if any part of the operator's hand or other part of his/her body is within the sensing field of the device during the downstroke of the press slide.

(1) The device shall not be used on machines using full revolution clutches.

(2) The device shall not be used as a tripping means to initiate slide motion, except when used in conformance with section 4208.1.

(3) The device shall be constructed so that a failure within the system does not prevent the normal stopping action from being applied to the press when required, but does prevent the initiation of a successive stroke until the failure is corrected. The failure shall be indicated by the system.

NOTE: Muting (bypassing of the protective function) of such device, during the upstroke of the press slide is permitted for the purpose of parts ejection, circuit checking, feeding and when material in contact with the dies being formed on a press brake passes through the sensing field.

(4) The safety distance (D _s) from the sensing field to the point of operation shall be greater than the distance determined by the following formula:

D _s = 63 inches/seconds X T _s

where:

D _s = minimum safety distance (inches); 63 inches/second = hand speed constant; and

T _s = stopping time of the press measured at approximately 90° position of crankshaft rotation (seconds).

(5) Guards shall be used to protect all areas of entry to the point of operation not protected by the presence sensing device.

(d) The pull-out device shall protect the operator as specified in subsection (a)(3) of this section, and shall include attachments of each of the operator's hands.

(1) Attachments shall be connected to and operated only by the press slide or upper die.

(2) Attachments shall be adjusted to prevent the operator from reaching into the point of operation or to withdraw the operator's hands from the point or operation before the dies close.

(3) A separate pull-out device shall be provided for each operator if more than one operator is used on a press.

(4) Each pull-out device in use shall be visually inspected and checked for proper adjustment at the start of each operator shift, following a new die set-up, and when operators are changed. Necessary maintenance or repair or both shall be performed and completed before the press is operated. Records of inspections and maintenance shall be kept in accordance with section 4202.

(e) The sweep device shall not be used of point of operation safeguarding.

(f) A holdout or a restraint device shall protect the operator as specified in subsection (a)(4) and shall include attachments for each of the operator's hands. Such attachments shall be securely anchored and adjusted in such a way that the operator is restrained from reaching into the point of operation. A separate set of restraints shall be provided for each operator if more than one operator is required on a press.

(g) The two-hand control device shall protect the operator as specified in subsection (a) (5) of this section.

(1) When used in press operations requiring more than one operator, separate two-hand controls shall be provided for each operator, and shall be designed to require concurrent application of all operators' controls to activate the slide. The removal of a hand from any control button shall cause the slide to stop.

(2) Each two-hand control shall meet the construction requirements of section 4193 (e).

(3) The safety distance (D _s) between the closest hand control device and the point of operation shall be greater than the distance determined by the following formula;

D _s = 63 inches/seconds X T _s; where:

D _s = minimum safety distance (inches); 63 inches/second = hand speed constant;and

T _s = stopping time of the press measured at approximately 90° position of crankshaft rotation (seconds).

(4) Two-hand controls shall be locked in position and shall be moved only by a qualified person authorized by the supervisor or if pedestal or pendant mounted, the location of the pedestal shall be determined by the employer in association with the requirements in subsection (g)(3).

(h) The two-hand trip device shall protect the operator as specified in subsection (a)(5) of this section.

(1) When used in press operations requiring more than one operator, separate two-hand trips shall be provided for each operator, and shall be designed to require concurrent application of all operator's controls to activate the slide.

(2) Each two-hand trip shall meet the construction requirements of section 4193(e).

(3) The safety distance (D _m) between closest two-hand trip and the point of operation shall be greater than the distance determined by the following formula:

D _m = 63 inches/second X T _m;

where:D _m - minimum safety distance (inches); 63 inches/second = hand speed constant; and

T _m = The maximum time the press takes for the die closure after it has been tripped (seconds). For full revolution clutch presses with only one engaging point T _m is equal to the time necessary for one and one-half revolutions of the crankshaft. For full revolution clutch presses with more than one engaging point, T _m shall be calculated as follows:

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(4) Two-handed trips shall be locked in position and shall be moved only by a qualified person authorized by the supervisor or if pedestal or pendant mounted, the location of the pedestal shall be determined by the employer in association with the requirements in subsection (h)(3).

(i) Hand feeding tools are intended for placing and removing materials in and from the press. Hand feeding tools are not a point of operation guard or protection device and shall not be used in lieu of the “guards” or devices required in this section.

Note: Authority cited: Section 142.3, Labor Code. Reference: Section 142.3, Labor Code.

HISTORY

1. New section filed 7-17-75; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 75, No. 29).

2. Amendment of subsection (h)(2) filed 7-13-78; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 78, No. 28).

3. Amendment of subsection (e) filed 2-20-80; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 80, No. 8).

4. Amendment filed 10-31-85; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 85,No. 44).

5. Amendment of subsection (c)(2) filed 4-20-90; operative 5-20-90 (Register 90, No. 20).

6. Editorial correction of subsection (b)(1) (Register 97, No. 6).