Hazardous Actions

Hazardous actions are worker actions that may involve one or more of the previously discussed motions, and are common in the workplace. The four most recognized types of hazardous actions are as follows:

• Cutting
• Shearing
• Punching
• Bending

Cutting is dangerous not only because of the blade itself, but also because shards of the material being cut can fly off and hit workers. Common examples of equipment with cutting hazards are as follows:

• Circular saws
• Drilling machines
• Lathes

Shearing is a way to trim down material by using a powered blade. The main hazard point on a shear is the place where a worker must insert, hold, or withdraw the material being sheared. Common examples of equipment with shearing hazards are as follows:

• Hydraulically powered shears
• Mechanically powered shears
• Pneumatically powered shears

Punching is a method workers often use to stamp or blank material. Punching involves a powered ram forcefully contacting material. Again, the real hazard is at the point where a worker must insert, hold, or remove the material being punched. Common examples of equipment with punching hazards are as follows:

• Power presses
• Iron workers

Bending can be hazardous because materials can slip or be ejected from the machine. Like shearing and punching, the hazard occurs where a worker must insert, hold, or remove the material being bent. Common examples of equipment with bending hazards are:

• Pipe benders
• Power presses
• Press brakes

To learn more about Machine Guarding visit our Machine Guarding Safety Online Training web page.