May 2026 Volume 8

SAFETY

prioritized, leaders and workers are more likely to relax procedural rigor and “make do” to keep lines running. In forging environments, that often shows up as manual intervention during a cycle, clearing scrap without a full stop, or reaching into a die space to correct a minor issue. These are seemingly small decisions made in seconds that can carry disproportionate consequences. Where Risk Actually Occurs in Forging Plants Contrary to popular perception, the forging stroke itself is not always the most common source of injury. Instead, many incidents occur during the activities surrounding the press cycle. Material handling, billet loading and part transfer often require workers to operate in close proximity to heavy equipment and high temperatures. Repetitive handling of forged parts, manual positioning during trimming or secondary operations, and movement of parts between stations all introduce opportunities for injury. Forklift traffic and overhead cranes can add additional risk within busy forging facilities where multiple operations are occurring simultaneously. National Safety Council data shows that forklifts alone accounted for 67 work‑related deaths in 2023 and nearly 25,000 serious injuries in 2021–22, with many incidents involving pedestrians in congested production areas 5 , which are conditions commonly found in busy forging shops. Safety professionals who review incident reports often find a consistent pattern: accidents frequently occur during routine tasks, when workers reach into a die area to reposition a part, manually transfer a billet from a furnace, or handle components during trimming operations. These are precisely the types of tasks where automation can have the greatest impact.

In one U.S. forging facility, a piece of material became lodged in the top die of a forging hammer. While the crew was attempting to dislodge it, the machine released a fragment of metal that struck an operator in the face, resulting in fatal injuries. 6 In another case, a 62-year-old forging shop co-owner was fatally injured while working at a trim press. After placing a solid metal cylinder in the trimming station, he attempted to manually reposition the part when the press activated unexpectedly, crushing him. Investigators identified inadequate guarding and the risks associated with part adjustment as key contributing factors, conditions that are not uncommon in trimming operations where components can shift or eject. 7 These incidents share a common pattern. The accidents did not occur because the workers involved lacked experience or awareness. They occurred because workers were required to physically interact with hazardous processes during routine production tasks. Modern automation systems increasingly target these specific interactions. Robotic handling systems, automated press feeding and integrated transfer mechanisms allow materials to move through forging processes without requiring operators to enter hazardous zones. The goal is not to eliminate workers from the process entirely. It is to eliminate the moments when human exposure to the most dangerous parts of the process becomes necessary. Recent advances in sensing, vision systems, and artificial intelligence are beginning to change how these risks are addressed. Modern vision systems are no longer limited to simple presence detection or pass/fail checks. With the integration of AI, they can interpret complex conditions in real time, identifying part position, detecting anomalies and distinguishing between acceptable and defective components with a level of consistency that was not previously achievable. This shift is significant because vision is no longer just a monitoring tool. It is becoming a decision-making layer within the process. When paired with robotics and press control systems, these technologies allow equipment to respond to changing conditions before they escalate. A misaligned part can be detected and corrected automatically. A defect can be rejected without operator intervention. A process deviation can trigger a controlled stop rather than forcing a worker to step in. Just as importantly, these systems can prevent the machine from cycling when conditions are not safe. That capability alone addresses one of the most common failure points in press and forging environments: unexpected or unintended motion during manual interaction. For many operations, this represents a meaningful shift. Tasks that historically required operator judgment inside the hazard zone can now be managed externally, with greater consistency and significantly reduced exposure to risk. It also reopens the conversation around automation in areas where it may have previously been dismissed. What was not feasible even five years ago, due to limitations in sensing, adaptability, or reliability, is now increasingly practical with today’s generation of integrated vision and control systems.

Most forging injuries don’t happen during the stroke. They happen during routine handling tasks. Automation, as seen in this 1100-ton press, removes workers from the most common danger zones. Lessons From Real Incidents Workplace safety investigations provide a sobering reminder of how small deviations from normal procedures can escalate quickly in heavy industrial environments.

FIA MAGAZINE | MAY 2026 29