Machine shop ventilation and power press safeguards

NOTICE: This is an OSHA Archive Document, and may no longer represent OSHA Policy. It is presented here as historical content, for research and review purposes only.

September 11, 1984

Mr. Anthony Ambrose, Jr.
[Recipient address omitted]
Dear Mr. Ambrose:

This is in response to your letter of September 4, 1984, in which you request information about OSHA regulations for machine shop and press room safety.

The regulations applicable to machine shops and to general industrial plant are found in the OSHA Safety and Health Standards 29 CFR 1910 (copy enclosed). These standards require conditions, or the adoption or use of one or more practices, means, methods or processes reasonable necessary or appropriate to protect the employees on the job.

The OSHA standard 29 CFR 1910 contain regulations among other, for the following areas:

Walking and Working Surfaces (Platforms, Ladders, Stairs)

Means of Egress (Exits, Exit Markings)

Occupational Health and Environmental Controls (Ventilation, Noise, Radiation)

Hazardous Materials (Compressed Gases, Flammable and Combustible Liquids, etc.)

Personal Protective Equipment (Eye and Face Protection, Respiratory Protection, etc.)

General Environmental Protection (Sanitation) Medical and First Aid

Fire Protection (Fire Brigades, Portable Fire Extinguishers, etc.)

Material Handling and Storage (Powered Industrial Trucks, Cranes)

Machinery and Machine Guarding (Mechanical Power Presses, Abrasive Wheels, etc.)

Hand and Portable Powered Tools

Welding, Cutting, and Brazing

Electrical

Toxic and Hazardous Substances

The section 1910.94, Ventilation, contains the requirements for grinding operations. There are many variables involved in the design of a ventilation system, therefore, it is not possible for us to provide you with specific design information.

The section 1910.217, Mechanical Power Presses, addresses the requirements for punch presses safeguarding. The mechanical power press is a machine that requires the undivided attention and good judgment of the operator. The punching, bending and shearing actions of this machine are particularly hazardous with respect to the severity of injury inflicted. The most hazardous zone is at the point of operation.

The paragraph 1910.217(c)(1) requires that the employer shall provide and ensure the usage of point of operation guards or properly applied and adjusted point of operation devices to prevent entry of hands or fingers into the point of operation by reaching through, over, under and around the guard.

We are enclosing, also, copy of literature about point of operation safeguarding for mechanical power presses. It contains information about fixed guards and devices, such as presence sensing, pullback, restraint, two-hand controls and two-hand trips.

For your information, we are sending also a pamphlet on concepts and techniques of machine guarding.

The OSHA Regional Office and the OSHA Area Offices maintain libraries which are open to the public. You may find it helpful to refer to the information on ventilation which is available in these libraries. The local OSHA Area Office is located at 220 Delaware Avenue, Jackson Building, Room 509, Buffalo, New York, Telephone (716) 846-4881.

If you have any further questions on this matter, please contact Mr. Natividad Sanchez of the Technical Support Staff. His telephone number is (212) 944-3430.

Thank you for your interest in safety and health.

Sincerely,

Cathie M. Mannion
Assistant Regional Administrator
for Technical Support

Enclosures

[Requester letter reproduced on OSHA page; omitted here.]