MTS Material Test Systems - Manual (Page 33)

Contain small leaks
Do not use your fingers or hands to stop small leaks in hydraulic or pneumatic hoses. Substantial pressures
can build up, especially if the hole is small. These high pressures may cause the oil or gas to penetrate your
skin, causing painful and dangerously infected wounds. Turn off the hydraulic supply and allow the hydraulic
pressure to dissipate before you remove and replace the hose or any pressurized component.
Stay clear of moving equipment/avoid crush points
Stay clear of mechanical linkages, connecting cables, and hoses that move because you may get pinched,
crushed, tangled, or dragged along with the equipment. High forces generated by the system can pinch, cut,
or crush anything in the path of the equipment and cause serious injury. Stay clear of any potential crush
points. Most test systems can produce sudden, high-force motion. Never assume that your reactions are fast
enough to allow you to escape injury when a system fails.
Know the causes of unexpected actuator motions
The high force and velocity capabilities of MTS actuators can be destructive and dangerous (especially if
actuator motion is unexpected). The most likely causes of unexpected actuator response are operator error
and equipment failure due to damage or abuse (such as broken, cut, or crushed cables and hoses; shorted
wires; overstressed feedback devices; and damaged components within the servocontrol loop). Eliminate
any condition that could cause unexpected actuator motion.
Do not use RF transmitters
Keep radio frequency (RF) transmitters away from the workstation computers, remote terminals, and electronics
consoles. Intense RF fields can cause erratic operation of the more sensitive circuits in the system.
MTS Material Test System Operation 33
4.0 Safety