Press maintenance work safety

⚠What laws and standards require

• Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health, Article 131 (preventing danger from presses, etc.)

  Use safety enclosures etc. so that no part of the body enters the danger limit. If that is difficult because of the nature of the work, fit a safety device (other than a hand-sweep type) suited to the press type, press capacity, strokes per minute, stopping performance, and so on. The measures must stay effective in any position of the selector switch

  The order of measures is (1) no-hands-in-die with a safety enclosure, (2) a safety press, (3) a safety device. Switching from foot pedal to two-hand push buttons is also effective (JFMA commentary, Guideline). Hand-sweep safety devices are in principle prohibited; for the time being they may be used only on two-hand control presses with a stroke length of 40 mm or more, not exceeding the guard plate length, and 120 strokes per minute or fewer (Supplementary Provision Article 25-2 of the Ordinance). The 2011 revision of the Structural Standard for safety devices also in principle banned manufacture of hand-sweep types^[1][2][3][4]

• Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health, Article 131-2 (preventing danger from slide descent) and Article 131-3 (die adjustment)

  When any part of the body enters the danger limit during die mounting, removal, or adjustment, make workers use safety blocks etc. (workers also have a duty to use them). When moving the slide for die adjustment, use inching, or hand turning if there is no inching mechanism

  Power presses have safety blocks etc. and an interlock that keeps the slide from moving while they are in use (Article 6 of the Structural Standard). There was a fatal case where a safety block was used for something other than its intended purpose (releasing a die)^[1][5][6](1 source, for reference)

• Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health, Article 132 (maintaining the function of clutches, etc.)

  Always keep the clutch, brake, and other parts needed for control of presses, etc. in working order

  Repair abnormalities found in the pre-work inspection and specified self-inspection (Article 137). This is the provision that underlies daily care^[1](1 source, for reference)

• Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health, Articles 133 and 134 (press work chief), Order for Enforcement Article 6 item 7

  A workplace with 5 or more power presses selects a work chief from those who have completed the press work chief skill course. Duties: inspecting the presses and safety devices, taking action when something is abnormal, keeping the selector key, and directly supervising die mounting, removal, and adjustment

  There was a fatal case where 10 presses were in use, no work chief had been appointed, and no one stopped the workers' dangerous methods (MHLW). Even with fewer than 5, decide who keeps the key (Article 134-2). In a workplace with fewer than 5, the person who handles the work chief's duties of inspection, action on abnormalities, and supervision of die work inspects the safety devices (Guideline)^{[1][7][8][6][2]}

• Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health, Article 36 item 2 (special training)

  Work on mounting, removing, and adjusting power press dies, shear blades, and press and shear safety devices and safety enclosures must be assigned to people who have received special training

  Applies to people who change dies and do setup. JFMA's list table summarizes the training hours and teaching materials^[1][8][3]

• Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health, Articles 134-3, 135-2, and 135-3; Industrial Safety and Health Act Article 45; Order for Enforcement Article 15

  Power presses undergo a periodic self-inspection of 9 items once within every year, and records are kept for 3 years. This is the specified self-inspection, done by a qualified in-house person or a registered inspection company, and an inspection mark is attached

  From 1 January 2026, it became a legal obligation to carry out the specified self-inspection in accordance with the standard set by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare (Specified Self-Inspection Standard for Power Presses) (Act Article 45, paragraph 3). The earlier "Guideline for Periodic Self-Inspection of Power Presses" was abolished. The qualification for in-house inspection is in Article 135-3, paragraph 2 (years of inspection and maintenance experience depending on education plus a training course designated by the Minister, or 10 or more years of experience as a press work chief, etc.). Shears also need an annual self-inspection under Article 135 (not a specified self-inspection)^{[1][7][9][3][10]}

• Specified Self-Inspection Standard for Power Presses (MHLW Notice No. 323 of Reiwa 7 [2025])

  A notice that sets the inspection method and acceptance criteria for each structure and device to be inspected. Three tables: mechanical presses (Appended Table 1), hydraulic presses (Appended Table 2), and safety presses (Appended Table 3)

  The earlier guideline was a recommendation, but the notice is part of the law. Inspection companies that do not follow it are subject to improvement orders, suspension of business, and revocation of registration. The content is based on the old guideline and, apart from wording cleanup, has not changed much (MHLW). Judgments marked "appropriate in light of the structure and performance of the machine" are made with the manufacturer's reference value. If that cannot be confirmed at all, judge by reference values of similar machines, etc. (Kihatsu 1226 No. 2)^[11][12][13](1 source, for reference)

• Industrial Safety and Health Act Articles 42 and 44-2, Order for Enforcement Article 14-2 (structural standards and type examination)

  Power presses may not be transferred, lent, or installed unless they conform to the Structural Standard for Power Presses, and safety devices unless they conform to the Structural Standard for Safety Devices of Presses or Shears. Safety devices and safety presses must pass type examination, and those without the pass mark cannot be used

  Also relevant when buying, moving, or modifying a used press. When replacing a safety device, choose one that has passed type examination^[9][7][3]

• Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health, Article 86 and Appended Table 7; Act Article 88 (notification of plans)

  When installing or relocating mechanical presses with an eccentric mechanism such as a crankshaft, or hydraulic presses, or changing their main structural parts, notify the competent Labour Standards Inspection Office at least 30 days before the start of work

  Attach to the notification the press capacity, stroke length, stopping performance, clutch and brake types, and overrun monitor setting position, along with structural drawings and a copy of the type-approval mark (Appended Table 7). Some offices have their own forms, so check beforehand (AIDA)^{[1][9][14][3]}

• Industrial Safety and Health Regulations (Japan), Article 107 (Stopping operation during cleaning, etc.)

  When cleaning, lubricating, inspecting, repairing, or adjusting is dangerous, stop the machine, lock the start device, and attach a sign so that no one else can run it

  To prevent accidents in maintenance, JFMA recommends making a work plan and procedure, and carrying out lockout (padlocking the power) and tagout (warning tags). The most common cause of death and injury during maintenance in manufacturing is being caught or entangled (JFMA material, 2007)^[1][15]

• Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health, Article 108-2 (covers at stroke ends, etc.)

  Where the stroke end of a moving table or similar is dangerous, provide a cover, enclosure, or fence

  The 2011 revision extended this beyond machine tools, and it also covers the tables of turret punch presses and similar machines (MHLW leaflet)^[1][16][3]

• Noise Regulation Act Order for Enforcement Appended Table 1 and Vibration Regulation Act Order for Enforcement Appended Table 1 (specified facilities)

  Under the Noise Regulation Act, specified facilities include mechanical presses of 294 kN or more nominal pressing capacity, hydraulic presses (excluding straightening presses), and shearing machines of 3.75 kW or more. Under the Vibration Regulation Act, they include hydraulic presses (excluding straightening presses), mechanical presses, and shearing machines of 1 kW or more

  When placing a specified facility in a designated area, notify the mayor of the municipality at least 30 days before installation work (Noise Regulation Act Article 6, Vibration Regulation Act Article 6). Limits at the site boundary are set by area, and local ordinances may add more machines (JFMA)^{[17][18][19][20][21]}

The legal provisions are summarized in Kezuriba's own words. Check the exact wording against the original text in e-Gov Law Search.