Tips to Staying Safe When Operating a Hydraulic Press

How Hydraulic Press Systems Can Fail

Unfortunately, hydraulic presses aren't foolproof. Over time and with heavy use, presses can become damaged or worn in crucial areas. They need regular maintenance and care if you expect top performance and years of functionality.

There are several common issues with hydraulic presses, potentially resulting in a broken machine or bodily injury. These include:

• Oil leaks: This is the most commonly reported problem. Oil can leak from hose fittings, hydraulic lines and even around the ram. Leaking is typically the result of equipment damage, loose fittings, fluid contamination and using the incorrect oil type. Continued leaking puts the machine at high risk for catastrophic failure and chemical hazard, endangering workers.
• Overheating: A wide array of machine inefficiencies can cause a press to overheat. Hydraulic fluid needs to remain under 180 degrees Fahrenheit in temperature. Any hotter than that, the oil can degrade quickly and cause seal damage, leading to leaks.
• Loss of pressure: This may sound like more of an inconvenience than anything, but improperly working equipment always has the potential for danger. Slow pressure build can be the result of a pump, relief valve or motor issue. Pressure issues can cause the ram to drop unexpectedly and without being activated.
• Neglect: A machine is only as good as its weakest part. Without proper care and regular inspection, machines can fail for any number of reasons. Any issue left unrepaired or part left unreplaced can worsen with further use, creating risk for full press failure.

If not correctly cared for, presses can experience any of these failures and more. Daily inspection and regular maintenance can prevent them. Simple repair and safety measures cost far less than the potential damage that comes with leaving issues to worsen.

In many cases, full machine failure can cause your press to become permanently inoperable. More seriously, it can severely injure workers. Accidents caused by faulty machinery — especially a hydraulic press — can result in minor to fatal injury.

The Most Common Hydraulic Press Workplace Accidents

Hydraulic presses are tools, not toys. And like any tool, if improperly used, they can cause accidents — sometimes even if you think you're being safe.

Due to the nature of the hydraulic press and its functions, the most common workplace injuries involve hands and fingers. Pinching and crushing incidents are common. Using a press requires workers to place and shift metal in the area under the ram or near the bending point, exposing them directly to a high-risk scenario. Approximately 49% of power press injuries result in amputation.

Press machines have so much room for failure if not cared for or operated properly, or if a preparation step is skipped. With a heavy ram under a high amount of pressure and no failsafe, the chance of catching a body part in the press may be higher than you'd assume.

So, what are the hazards of a hydraulic press? Catastrophic failures can cause unexpected dangers like:

• Pressure failure can result in the ram dropping, crushing whatever sits under it at the time.
• Cracked or loose fittings can rupture, causing hoses to detach.
• Metal can fracture under pressure and fly in jagged pieces.
• Under severe conditions, workers can suffer lacerations and puncture wounds from sharp metal, pressurized hydraulic fluid and other projectiles.

Press brakes, in particular, have one of the highest rates of injury, causing more than 350 reported incidents of amputations per year. The press brakes' complicated configuration often requires operators to reach around the machine's safety device. When bending metal sheets with small surface areas, the operator must position their fingers within very close proximity to the point of bending. Even when the device is used properly, the risk of injury is high.

The Best Hydraulic Press Precaution & Safety Tips

As a business owner or machinist, you care about the safety of your hydraulic press operators. In order to lower the occupational risks for workers, you need to follow our hydraulic press safety rules and keep up with:

1. Maintenance: One of the best ways of avoiding potential failure and injury is through preventative machine maintenance. Hydraulic presses are consistently under a lot of stress from high pressure, high temperatures and natural wear. Over time and with heavy use, parts and fluids require regular cleaning and replacement.
2. Inspection: Give your machines a thorough inspection on a regular basis. You'll want to check any hoses and seals for damage, fittings for cracks and tight fit, fluids for dirt or degradation, and the general body of the machine for any cracks. Pay close attention to any excessive vibrations or strange noises when the machine is running, as they may indicate a need for urgent repair.
3. Cleanliness: Keeping your hydraulics adequately lubricated and the surrounding area clean is essential not only for the machine to operate correctly but also for the safety of those using it. Lubrication is necessary for a clean stroke, reduced friction and smooth user experience. Clutter, dirt and slick oil can create dangerous circumstances. Make sure there is no potential for slipping or catching clothing on discarded materials.
4. Training: Any worker using a hydraulic press machine should be knowledgeable in all areas of operation to take proper safety precautions, including how to identify problems and maintain overall safety. Using a press is a specialized job, and knowing how to safely operate a hydraulic press takes experience and skill. Undertrained users have a much higher risk of injury than those who received proper training.