Safety with Tools and in the Workshop. – Page 7

As with everything there are things that we must learn that are very important, seem boring, until something goes wrong, safety is one of those subjects.

I have met many people who have been harmed by tools, that is possibly a way to say it. But some cases were people just being lazy, not learning the safety on the job, or their minds wandering off and they get hurt.

I knew a man who was working in a saw mill, they were told not to wear loose clothing for safety reasons and all the moving parts. One day his cuff of his jacket got caught in a machine and his arms was pulled into the machine and the shoulder, elbow and wrist joints pulled apart – it took him a long tome to recover from that.

There can be unavoidable accidents. A friend walked past a steam pipe, it burst and he got burned across his chest, nothing he could have done about that, but the pipe probably should have been checked more regularly.

A few of the men who worked on the big Paper Machines were I worked had fingers missing, some of them had a few fingers missing. They had been too slow on the job and their fingers had been cut off.

Sometimes we get hurt copying someone else. A person who was of a higher rank than me was getting paper back onto a nylon rope in the Number 6 Machine and I was helping him as the junior crew member. I saw how he did it and the next time it happened and he was not there I did what he did.
When I had finished and it all all going well I realized that a few layers of skin had been taken off the entire back of my hand, The nylon rope had basically, while I was concentrating on the job, sanded off the skin so gently that I didn’t feel a thing until I went to the first aid and the staff run my hand under a cold tap.

Later on the Forman asked me way I had decided to do the job in the way that I had because he felt that it was unsafe. I told him that the guy I worked with did it that way, so I felt as he was more experienced than me he should know how to do the job safely. The skin grew back with no scars. I found out the hard way not to copy other people but to learn the proper way myself.

Where your safety and other people’s safety is concerned please don’t take anything for granted. be careful, and watch what others do and ask around.

Our tools in the workshop should always be looked after, if they need sharpening that should be done, if they need oiling that should be done.  
Please keep in mind that using a blunt tool can cause a person using the tool to get frustrated because it won’t do its job properly and then all of a sudden we push too hard, or hit it (chisel etc) too hard and we have ruined the work or cut ourselves. Sharp tools can be used with a certain amount of ease so there should be no reason for exerting frustrated energy.

Woodworking can be very enjoyable, a lot of fun, very creative and satisfying, but tools can be very dangerous if they are not looked after properly or used for the wrong reasons, or we simply get careless in the workshop.

Think what you are doing and take the time to clean off a tool, or sharpen a tool.
For example, if you pick up a chisel and there is oil spilled on the handle and you decide that you will just get this job done… and then it slips in your hand and you cut yourself badly. There should be no short-cuts taken where work safety is concerned.

If a person has had alcohol, some sort of drugs,
medication, then they are not fit enough for using tools.

Please use the right tool for the job.

If you don’t really know how to use a tool, or how to use a new tool that you have just bought read the manuals or books that came with it, use YouTube, buy a book on it or get on down to the Public Library and find a book about its use.

Please don’t ever be afraid to ask someone for help or advice. We would rather have you ask than see you get hurt. Please ask.

Use the correct (PPE) Personal Protective Equipment for the job at hand.

Support the piece you are working on securely. A piece of wood flying around the workshop at speed is very dangerous, so please make sure that whatever wood you are working on is clamped, held, or in a vice security.

Please don’t work when you are tired, it may seem like a simple job, but if your mind is not 100% on a job you may forget something important and do yourself or the work damage.

Before you work on any electrical tool, disconnect the plug or power to the tool.
Wisdom is pulling the plug out of the socket so that you can see that it is physically disconnected.

Many tools have safety guard, please don’t remove these.Some people remove the safety guards to make the tool work better because sometimes safety guards seem to restrict moment of the tool and such, but the guard is there for a reason, your safety.

When using the Table Saw, Nailer, Bandsaw, and so on, always be aware at all times where your hand sand fingers are.

If you are using corded equipment please always be aware of where the electrical leads are and where they will be when you are finished your work.
For example when using a Circular Saw and you are cutting a length of Plywood, please be aware os where the cord will be at the start of the cut and at the end of the cut so that you don’t trip over the electrical cord and do yourself some serious damage.

Each tool comes with safety instructions, please read these, and when you are resting in the workshop take out a manual for the work tool that you are currently using and just browse through it it can be easy to forget something important and a refresher reading of the manual will do you no harm art all.

When you have to sue a power tool and walk at the same time please look at the ground in the workshop or where you are working first to make sure that you will trip on nothing. Sometimes something small is easy to miss and cause you to lose balance or make a mistake.

Try to be aware of any hazards at all times.

Always use push sticks where you need them, please don’t take short cuts and use your hands and fingers.

Always be aware of Kick-Back.
Being aware that something could happen helps you be mentally and physically prepared for it if it does happen.