Pinch Point Safety

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DID YOU EVER THINK THE SIMPLE USE OF A JACK COULD CREATE A PINCH POINT?

Here’s some important information on pinch point safety.

When most people think of pinch points, they visualize machines and machine guarding. Placing your hands, or any body part between two rotating or closing surfaces can result in injury to the worker. Considering the use of jacks, both in General Industry and Construction, a majority of injuries are caused by the improper use of jacks. Many of these injuries were caused from: Uneven bottom, Wrong size bar, Fingers in pinch points, Jack set crooked, Too small a jack for the weight being lifted. When using a “jack”, “take two” minutes to study the complete job site before performing the task.

SHORTCUTS LEAD TO DANGER — Often pinch-point injuries are the result of workers, who are not properly trained, don’t realize the dangers of machinery, or take shortcuts to get the work done more quickly, but end up injuring themselves instead. Never perform a task without proper training, by taking shortcuts, or bypassing procedures; the consequences could be serious.

GENERAL INDUSTRY — PROPER LOCKOUT/TAGOUT (LOTO) REDUCES PINCH-POINT HAZARDS Because pinch-point injuries often occur when a machine is being stopped temporarily for service or cleaning, it is extremely important that workers follow necessary procedures for lockout and tagout (LOTO). Workers can follow guard policies for when the machine is running, but when it’s stopped and the guard is removed, if the equipment is not de-energized, a worker is not safe.

KEEP YOUR GUARD UP — It is important to ensure equipment is properly guarded to keep workers away from hazardous areas. This can happen even before equipment is purchased. New equipment should be evaluated with a safety checklist based on input from engineers, workers, and safety personnel. The manufacturer should be asked to make adjustments to eliminate hazards before the equipment is purchased. Once equipment has been purchased and installed, it is important to monitor workers’ behavior to ensure that they are not exposing themselves to risk of injury. Under normal operating conditions, workers tend to remain within the parameters of safe operation. It is when upset or abnormal operations are encountered that workers have a tendency to unnecessarily expose themselves to pinch-point hazards.

SAFETY IS EVERYONE’S RESPONSIBILITY — The best protection from pinch-point hazards comes not from procedures, but from the personal attention of employers and workers to potential hazards.

  • Review the dangers of pinch points and the procedures for working safely on a regular basis.
  • Perform frequent, targeted inspections to ensure that guards are not missing and procedures are being followed.
  • Reward employees for identifying and reporting hazards and quickly resolve those hazards.

SAFETY IS EVERYONE’S RESPONSIBILITY AND SHOULD NOT BE LEARNED BY ACCIDENT

Disclaimer: The information and suggestions contained in these safety talks are believed to be reliable. However, the authors of the topics and the owners of this web site accept no legal responsibility for the correctness, sufficiency, or completeness of such information or suggestions contained within these topics. These guidelines do not supercede local, state, or federal regulations and must not be construed as a substitute for, or legal interpretation of, any OSHA regulations.