In 2017, we are beginning to see many more plants, refineries, mining operations and production and maintenance facilities change their requirements to utilize hands-free machining equipment. The directive written is similar to the following: “No machining will be performed utilizing a hand-operated machine should a hands-free machine exist for the machining application.” These operations have seen hands-free equipment in action and understand the clear safety benefits to operators and contractors.
“Tools that are designed to be hands-free are always a safer option,” said CLIMAX | H&S TOOL Global Training Manager Jim Miller, who is also a 30-year industry veteran and a portable machining expert. “Any time you can keep an operator away from a moving component during operation, you are minimizing the threat of a serious injury. Handsfree machining also provides a much more consistent surface finish compared to manual feed finishes.”
Industrial service companies are working hard to implement new strategic initiatives to get ahead of these changing requirements.
“Hands-free reduces the technician’s exposure to the hazards associated with the technician placing his hands on rotating machine parts or in close proximity of machine pinch points,” said Glen Elps, global service line manager for field machining services at TeamFurmanite. “The automation also improves the quality of the surface finish produced by the machine, eliminating inconsistencies associated with hand operations.”
The benefits of portable machining products that are hands-free include:
- Improved finished product and machining quality.
- The time necessary to complete jobs can be reduced.
- Reduced technician and operator fatigue.
- Lowered total recordable injury rate (TRIR).
- Improved machinist or operator satisfaction.
“I’ve been hands-on in the field machining industry for over 30 years and suspect the shift and transition toward handsfree operations will occur over the next few years,” Elps said. “Companies have already commenced with the replacement of hand-operated controls to remote, pneumatically operated controls on pipe cutting and beveling projects. To reinforce hands-free strategic initiatives, some technician training and certification classes are now utilizing hands-free machining products.”
In addition to remote feed controls and hands-free machining, low-pressure safety interlock systems can reduce the hidden danger of an unexpected start-up. In factory settings or in the field, there are many things that can cause an interruption to the air flow. In these situations, the low-pressure safety interlock systems will activate, shutting off the system. When air flow is returned to the unit, it will not start until the operator deliberately starts it up again. This is another great feature that keeps operators away from the machine, eliminating dangerous surprises.
I understand many safety hazards arise from human error and environmental factors, but it’s time to ensure operators and machinists are using well designed, hands-free machining products that are user-friendly and mistake-proof to the highest degree possible. Remember to always receive proper training and diligently adhere to equipment operating instructions, regulations and industry best practices when machining.
For more information, visit www.Climaxportable.com or www.hstool. com, or call (713) 333-0260 or (225) 450-9950.
