Hydraulic Press Crushing Injury

Background In an automotive workshop, a hydraulic press was used to remove bearings from a shaft. Incident The shaft was improperly aligned. While applying pressure, it suddenly slipped and crushed the technician’s fingers. Safety Violations No use of proper fixtures or supports. Hands placed near compression zone. Lack of risk assessment before operation. Root Causes Inadequate training on press operation. No safe operating procedure (SOP). Time pressure to complete task quickly. Corrective Actions Develop SOP for hydraulic press operation. Use jigs and fixtures for alignment. Install two-hand control system. Conduct hazard identification training. Lessons Learned Stored hydraulic energy can release suddenly. Proper positioning and guarding are essential to prevent crushing injuries.