Abstract

Every year, many operators of metal presses suffer accidents involving the hands. Although workers' safety can be improved by installing machine guards and locating bimanual controls at a distance from the press slide, studies have reported that the controls are often located too close to the press's danger zone. This study designed a mobile guard and evaluated its effectiveness compared to a guard that is similar but fixed, and to a bimanual control system used with no guards. This report reviews some factors - such as the speed of the operator's hand and the overall stopping time of the press slide which should be taken into account when developing a prototype. The combined use of a mobile guard and bimanual controls proved effective in laboratory trials. However, field trials of the guard are recommended in order to confirm the results obtained here.