Abstract

Operators of press brakes, commonly used in the Transportation Equipment Fabrication sector, must constantly interact with them, which inevitably obliges them to place their hands near the press's danger zone. To identify the hazards associated with these presses, specify selection and design criteria for effective protective devices, improve the safety of work practices, and verify the applicability of standards and regulations, researchers collected data by questionnaire in 183 companies and visited 52 others. This survey revealed that 84% of press brakes were not equipped with protective devices, and that the devices that were present were often disabled because workers found them incompatible with production imperatives. The implementation of appropriate procedures could reduce and in some cases even eliminate the hazards associated with current work practices. Recommendations concerning equipment, work practices, and protective devices were proposed.