Pinch Point Safety Essentials
Pinch points are areas where someone can get caught between two moving parts or between a moving object and a stationary one. In workplaces where heavy machinery is used, pinch points pose a significant safety risk. This guide can help you understand what OSHA considers a pinch point and how to protect workers from them—essential practices for maintaining a safe environment.
What Does OSHA Consider a Pinch Point?
OSHA defines a pinch point, sometimes called a nip point, as any point where a person or part of their body can be caught between moving parts or between a moving object and a stationary object. Common pinch points include:
- Moving Machinery Parts: Gears, belts, and pulleys
- Forklift Loads and Racking Systems: Risk of pinching between loads and shelves
- Conveyor Belts and Loading Docks: Pinch points where belts meet loading areas
- Doors and Frames: Heavy doors that can pinch fingers or hands
- Moving Vehicles and Fixed Structures: When vehicles maneuver around equipment
- Body Parts and Machinery: Limbs getting caught in moving equipment
- Collapsible Equipment: Folding tables or adjustable shelving can create pinch points.
- Materials and Stationary Equipment: Objects caught between moving and fixed machinery
- Heavy Loads and Structures: Pinching risk if loads shift unexpectedly
- Manual Handling: Lifting or moving objects can create pinch points if not handled properly
These areas can cause serious injuries, including amputations or fractures, if proper safety measures are not in place.
What Is Necessary for Pinch Point Safety?
Prevention is the best form of protection when it comes to pinch points. These protections can do a lot to mitigate risks.
Training and Awareness
Workers need regular training on pinch point risks and how to work safely around them. This training should include the dangers of pinch points and knowledge on how to operate machinery safely.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Using the right PPE can make a huge difference in pinch point safety and risk. OSHA requires workers to wear specific protective equipment in areas where they may be exposed to pinch points:
- Gloves: These protect hands from getting caught in machinery.
- Safety Shoes: Steel-toed boots can prevent foot injuries if a worker’s foot is caught or compressed.
- Protective Clothing: Wearing snug-fitting clothes can prevent getting caught in moving parts.
- Safety Guards: Appropriate guards installed can prevent accidental contact with dangerous parts.
Maintenance and Inspection
All machinery should be properly maintained, with the right guards in place to protect everyone from moving parts. Part of ensuring pinch point safety should include regular, scheduled inspections to identify potential risks.
Clear Signage
Signage is integral to any workplace safety plan. OSHA requires employers to post proper signs warning workers of potential workplace hazards, including pinch points. Post signs around pinch point areas to alert all workers of the hazard. Signage should always be easy to understand and clearly visible from a distance. Use machine safety signs to mark dangerous equipment and areas. These are durable and easy to place strategically.
Pinch Point Safety Signs
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Make Pinch Point Safety a Priority
Pinch points are a major hazard anywhere with moving machinery, but the right safety measures can greatly reduce the risk of injury. The best course of action is to address pinch point risk proactively. Obtain proper pinch point signage to protect your workforce from potential harm.