Page 14 - MetalForming July/August 2009

SafetyUpdate
Rebuilt Machinery Opens Up New Concerns About Safety
(Provided by Anthony Rante, president and principle engineer for Artech Engi- neering Inc., Chicago, IL; www.artechengineering.com. Rante is a member of the ASME B5 Committee on Power Press Standards.)
With the current emphasis on refurbishing and re-use of existing metalform- ing and fabricating equipment, the need for thorough and detailed safety man- agement takes on an even greater concern. With each equipment upgrade, met- alformers must conduct a thorough safety evaluation of the primary equipment and its use in production.
Unfortunately, safety management often takes a back seat to production, and does not become a concern until an incident occurs.
In most cases, manufacturers will need to address the relevant OSHA require- ments for safeguarding equipment; go to www.osha.gov for starters, to seek infor- mation about stopping times, palm-button locations, point-of-contact guarding, etc. Also, stay up to speed on advances in sensor technology—light curtains, coded proximity switches, safety mats and related products.
The name of the game: Identify all possible hazards in all possible scenarios. Management should include employees most knowledgeable about the equipment and process in safety-brainstorming sessions. Start with a list of the day-to-day uses of each machine or system to capture all uses and functions.
When possible, include outside help in conducting safety reviews. Getting a fresh set of eyes to review a process or machine can help identify hazards that might otherwise go unnoticed.
Press accidents often occur during die setting, a particularly dangerous process because it often requires a combination of power-on and power-off pro- cedures. Requirements related to power-off and locking out the press are very clear. The critical question becomes how to safely set a die once power is restored. All hazards must be eliminated—look for creative uses of fixtures to eliminate the haz- ards. Regular preventive maintenance also falls into this category.
These items are just a few of the considerations to ensure a safe press shop. As everyone strives to be more competitive, we continue to do more with our exist- ing equipment. Modernization of an older piece of equipment can turn it into a profit center. Complete the process with a thorough safety review on the front end of the project.
Artech Engineering Inc.: www.artechengineering.com
Lincoln Launches Hexavalent-Chromium Awareness Campaign
On May 31, 2010, new OSHA regulations take effect, including one contain- ing new hexavalent-chromium standards. To help metalformers prepare for the new standards, Lincoln Electric, Cleveland, OH, has launched an awareness cam- paign dubbed, “Are You Ready?” The campaign, an interactive website at www.lincolnelectric.com/weld-fume-control, is designed to educate employers and the general welding community about effective fume-control practices. It offers a one- stop shop for reference materials, interactive tools and product solutions—articles, white papers and videos.
Lincoln Electric Co.: www.lincolnelectric.com/safety
Wellness Programs
Improve Employee
Health and Welfare
Metal-fabrication job shop D&S Man- ufacturing, Black River Falls, WI, part- nered with its insurance provider, Gun- dersen Lutheran Occupational Health, to offer its employees a series of wellness programs. The programs are designed to improve employee morale, reduce absen- teeism and encourage lifestyle changes to positively impact employee health. The goal: Identify emerging health problems that might be avoided or minimized through minor changes in diet and exer- cise, according to D&S president Michael Dougherty.
D&S manufactures large-scale com- ponents and weldments for customers such as Caterpillar, Trane Co. and Parkson. D&S Manufacturing: 715/284-5376; www.dsmfg.com
Audible and Segmented Indicator Lights Clearly Convey Equipment Status
Banner Engineering Corp. Minneapolis, MN, has introduced EZ-Light audible and segmented indicator lights for operator guidance and indication of equipment sta- tus. The indicators feature multi-col- ored, long-lasting LEDs that allow for dis- playing the status of remote and inaccessible sensors while minimizing the need for bulb replacements. Models consist of a compact unit that replaces post and stack lights. Additionally, the indicators are available in multiple low- profile design options for simple instal- lation and are compatible with PLC or other logic-level control outputs.
For applications benefitting from sound indication, the indicators offer two decibel levels with steady or pulsed tones. In addition, audible indicators pro- vide standard green/red/yellow lights and are available in two housing styles.
12 METALFORMING / JULY/AUGUST 2009
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