Abstract

Bimanual controls increase the operating safety of metal presses by requiring the worker to use both hands to activate the machine and by distancing the operator from the metal-shaping moulds, which constitute the danger zone. However, the standards do not specify where these devices should be located. The purpose of this guide is to make it easier to determine the positioning of synchronous bimanual controls on presses with a full-revolution clutch. This guide is intended for occupational health and safety stakeholders as well as companies using metal presses, and suppliers and manufacturers of these devices. It provides the parameters to be considered for the proper positioning of these controls, a practical graph that can be used to determine their safe location, and a method for measuring the positioning distance.