Pinch Points



                       A SAFETY TALK FOR

                      DISCUSSION LEADERS



This safety talk is designed for discussion leaders to use in preparing safety

meetings.



Set a specific time and date for your safety meeting.  Publicize your meeting

so everyone involved will be sure to attend.



Review this safety talk before the meeting and become familiar with its

content. Make notes about the points made in this talk that pertain to your

workplace.  You should be able to present the material in your own words and

lead the discussion without reading it.



Seating space is not absolutely necessary, but arrangements should be made so

that those attending can easily see and hear the presentation.



Collect whatever materials and props you will need ahead of time.  Try to use

equipment in your workplace to demonstrate your points.





                      DURING THE MEETING



Give the safety talk in your own words.  Use the printed talk merely as a

guide.



The purpose of a safety meeting is to initiate discussion of safety problems

and provide solutions to those problems.  Encourage employees to discuss

hazards or potential hazards the encounter on the job. Ask them to suggest ways

to improve safety in their area.



Don't let the meeting turn into a gripe session about unrelated topics.  As

discussion leader, its your job to make sure the topic is safety.  Discussing

other topics wastes time and can ruin the effectiveness of your safety meeting.



At the end of the meeting, ask employees to sign a sheet on the back of this

talk as a record that they attended the safety meeting.  Keep this talk on file

for your records.







Pinch Points



To most of us a pinch doesn't sound too serious. A pinch on the cheek or a

friendly pinch for fun is one thing, but the pinches you get on the job are

something else.



Recently, a worker was crushed to death against a wall by a huge truck that was

backing up. That was a pinch point accident.



In another instance, a pair of pliers slipped and pinched a worker's hand,

which caused a blood blister.



Between these two extremes lie hundreds of pinch point situations in industry.

And there are just as many examples of injuries sustained because of these

pinch points on record.



Pinch point conditions are one of the most difficult hazards to guard. For

example, let's look at a set of two in-running calendar rolls used to finish

cloth or manufacture paper or rubber. The material in the process must reach

the in-running rolls to be carried through; no guard can be placed at the

immediate point. There are some partial guards on such equipment, but operators

must exercise extreme caution and alertness when these rolls are running, which

is usually at a very high speed and under considerable pressure.



Closely stored 55-gallon steel drums, when moved or handled, create pinch

points between each other or the dolly being used to move them. Because the

drums are round, they are more difficult to handle and control in many cases.

Here the only protection is care and alertness.



The same thing applies to heavy crates, castings and boxes that are stacked

close to each other.



Improperly guarded punch presses can inflict more serious injuries. However,

most punch presses are well guarded by a two-hand trip and photoelectric beams.

These must be used with part-revolution presses; they cannot be used with full-

revolution presses. Full revolution presses must have a guard--barrier, two-

hand control or similar positive device. Proper guarding prevents entry over,

under, around and through.



It is dangerous to work around machinery that has oscillating or reciprocating

parts or elements. Of course, most of these areas are guarded, but in cases

when guards are removed to do work or make adjustments, be sure the parts

cannot move or be moved. Tag out or lock out the equipment and be sure the

machinery cannot cycle if it is off balance or activated by accident.



There are many commonplace things that are potential pinch points, like heavy

steel doors or heavy covers for bins and hopper, and often there is no way to

guard these hazards. Care is your only safeguard. Even extension ladders can

create serious pinch points; the rungs sliding past each other can catch

fingers, hands and feet.



Roller, belt or chain conveyors create many pinch points. On a roller-skate-

wheel conveyor, heavy crate, castings and other materials that are too close

together can even cut off a finger. Powered conveyors are most dangerous at

floor openings and at the beginnings and ends if they run inclined between

different levels. 



A little thought will bring to mind the many pinch points (sometimes called nip

points) here in our own operation. Let's discuss some of them now.



Note to Discussion Leader:



Discussion some of the potential pinch point involved in your workplace and ask

the employee for safety suggestion.



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Text Version