The hazard
A pinch point is any spot where part of your body can get caught between a moving part and something solid, or between two moving parts. They are everywhere on the job: gears, rollers, belts, doors, tailgates, chains, loads being set down and machines that swing. It happens in a split second, and a caught hand can be crushed before you can pull it back.
The action
Before you start a task, look for anything that moves, closes, rolls, swings or turns, and anything that moves toward a fixed object. Common ones are rollers and belts, chains and sprockets, doors and hinges, tailgates and dump bodies, and the gap between a load and a wall. Point them out to the crew, especially to new workers.
ASK THE CREW
What are the pinch points on the tools, machines and equipment we are using this week?
From the talk: Pinch points. Read it in full, free, with the questions and the sign-in sheet.