Important Shear Machine Safety Precautions

Working with and fabricating sheet metal is a job that requires the assistance of a shear. The machine is a powerful piece of equipment that uses multiple blades to apply shear to the sheet metal fed into the machine. This will produce, cut and create more sheets of different sizes and thicknesses. As with any machine, there are many hazards with this machine, so it's important to know the proper sheet metal shearing device safety precautions.

Shears use sharp cutting parts, and you can bet a machine that can cut metal can cut through skin and bone with ease. This is why failure to follow all of these safety precautions can result in permanently disabled workers and a lot of lost time. To avoid such safety incidents, please be sure to follow the safety precautions we have listed below. Read on to learn more!

Manufacturers of these types of machines are aware of the dangers they can present in the workplace. You'll find built-in safety enhancements and shields on the machines to protect anyone operating them.

A good example is finger guards, which prevent any operator from entering the area where the blade is. Make it a habit to carefully inspect all covers, guards, and other safety enhancements on your machine before using it. Just their presence can prevent any unnecessary harm.

When working with shears, it is important to avoid wearing any loose clothing that could get caught in the blades or any part of the machine. Any excess jewelry, accessories, or even loose clothing is a potential injury hazard. For the same reason, people with long hair should always keep their hair tied up.

Also, personal protective equipment (PPE) should always be worn in any metal fabrication shop. This is one of the most common safety violations you'll find on the shop floor, so try to enforce it more strictly.

With or without guards and PPE, operators should avoid getting close to the cutting parts of the machine. To ensure that no injury occurs, all precautions must be taken, both in terms of equipment and in the conduct of workers.

This also comes with the familiarity of the employees with the equipment. Even if you know how a machine works, we never know when and where an accident might happen. Rather than risk losing your fingers, keep them away from cutting parts.

The most basic tip for staying safe when working with machinery is to keep it in good condition. Every component of a machine works together to function properly. If some of these parts are not installed properly, are damaged, cracked, rusted, or are in poor condition, it can make the entire machine susceptible to catastrophic failure. Of course, this could lead to safety accidents with its sharp parts.

To prevent such incidents from happening, the machine should be checked regularly. Replace any faulty parts, or oil parts that need lubrication, and double-check that all warning lights, stop buttons, and mirrors are still working.

Some workshops don't invest enough in good lighting. This can spell disaster when working with potentially dangerous machinery. Operators need to see what they are doing to avoid any accidents. Poor lighting is known to increase the number of accidents and injuries at work, so make sure your store is well-lit. If resources are scarce, try switching to energy-efficient lighting options, such as LED lighting.

Shears have a lockout or tagout procedures in place. Follow these procedures to avoid any malfunctions. If it must be turned off due to malfunction or accident, use the emergency stop button.

In other cases, make sure the machines are all turned off before attempting to fix the fault. Disconnect it from the power source if possible. Also, try engaging the parking brake. This is not only useful when you're done using the machine for the day, but also when you need to clear out built-up junk or make repairs.

There are many heavy types of machinery in the metal manufacturing industry because working with metal is not an easy task. Learning these important shears safety precautions is the best way to stay safe while using shears, but make sure you also know the general safety guidelines and safety measures for each piece of equipment you use.

Just as you deserve to keep your machinery in good shape, you deserve the highest quality metal products for your projects. Hengli is a professional custom sheet metal cutting equipment manufacturer in China. We focus on the R&D and manufacturing of high-end industrial automation equipment. The main products are synchronized with the world's advanced technology and are widely used in the pillar industries of the national economy such as automobile manufacturing and parts processing, iron and steel metallurgical processing, electric power, and metal packaging. If you want to buy a shearing machine, please contact us.