Shop Safety, new members please read

[stevem]

with the number of new members here who are also probably new to woodworking, i feel its time for a safety refresher

to all you regulars, tell the new members how you treat safety in your shop, hopefully seriously

woodworking especially with machinery is dangerous, we all have holes in a wall, broken work pieces, maybe a few scars and stitches, the occasional blood splatter, tweezers for splinters, q tips for stuff in our eyes and so on and so on, and every so often after a minor incident, we reflect back on how it could have been much worse

in my shop, its safety glasses and hearing protection before any equipment gets turned on period, no exceptions including any audience

i do have other safety rules too both for myself and any visitors

so lets show our new members that safety is a serious issue

a few issues that need discussion

personal safety

fire safety

electrical safety

chemicals and finishing stuff

[Bob in Stoney Creek]

First Aid Kit. (fully stocked).

Fire Extinguisher (checked monthly).

Cleaned Paint Can and Lid for oily rags.

Know how to turn on a machine and how to turn it off.

Door to the shop locked whem machines are in use.

Walk through of the operation to be done before starting a machine.

Ask myself is there a safer way to complete the task. If I do not know ask. The forum is great for this.

Search the forum and other forums for safety guides.

[stevem]

some great ideas bob, not sure about the locked door, what if you needed help?

first aid kit and fire extinguishers are a must, i agree

in my shop, every switch powering a machine has been painted red, and i mean bright red, especially those that are regular household switches on a router table etc etc

a master panic switch would be nice at the door to the shop, but not really practical for most of us

[Mike in Orangeville]

Since I have a hand-tools-only shop, the danger factor isn't nearly as great as other folks might have.
However, I try to keep the floor swept up so I don't slip on shavings, and oily rags should be left in a single layer, flat, on the sawhorses to dry out over night. Once they're hard they can be pitched into the garbage with impunity, but as we all know, if they are bunched together, wet, in a garbage can they have the potential to spontaneously combust.
As for solvents, etc. I use mostly non-toxic stuff for finishing, and I don't spray, so the danger level is low. The worst stuff is the shellac-based primer-sealer which is not something you want to breathe all day, even using a brush.

[billh]

Intercom or similar communication device from shop to house or other floor in house to quickly summon help.

Avoid using power tools if nobody else around to come to your aid.

Don't even think about starting a tool without the proper safety equipment in place - even if it is only for 1 little quick cut.

My favourite: Don't rely on your brain keeping you out of trouble. Use the guards and all safety equipment. Too many accidents are in the brain lapse category.

Just because a finish is water-based or doesn't have an intense smell doesn't mean it is safe.

The recommended way to get the smoothest cut is not necessarily the safest way to use a tool so always be cautious. I am referring to blade height and router climb-cutting.

Don't try to be so frugal that you put yourself at risk. Example: Make your project on a large piece you can easily hold and work with and then cut it off. Don't try to make it on a small piece of scrap that is too small to be safe.

Full face protection is always a good idea no matter which power tool you are using.

Your ears can be slowly damaged from excessive noise. Always wear hearing protection when using noisy tools.

billh

[stevem]

i agree mike, hand tools are generally much safer than power tools, although a razor sharp chisel can do a lot of damage in a millisecond too, my most severe injury in the last year was from a handsaw cutting a piece of trim for a flooring job, ran that sucker right across my thigh on a job site, no stiches but it was sore for a week

solvents and rags as you pointed out, are a really serious problem, they will ignite with little or no encouragement
your idea of spreading them out to dry and them disposing of them is great, i do basically the same, i just do it outside

[stevem]

i definitely agree with you bill, hearing protection is a must
ive been a carpenter for 30 years or more and have always worn hearing protection even long before it was considered necessary
friends of mine in the same trades are vitually deaf after the same time period
my theory is: if i cant hear normal voice or my stereo over the equipment then its earmuff time
simple rule and there's muffs all over the shop right next to the goggles

[Keith H.]

some great ideas bob, not sure about the locked door, what if you needed help?

I leave my door unlocked - my shop has a half-light door so my wife or whoever can see what I'm up to and know not to walk in if I'm at a tool (My current workshop configuration is with both my bandsaw and tablesaw positioned so my back is to the door - it is the best for my shop layout, but presents a danger if someone would sneak in when I'm ear muffed and running a tool).

I need to get a dedicated cordless phone in the shop (currently I grab a handset from the house if I remember) so that my wife can call out if she needs me in the house or to tell me she is coming out or for me to call back to the house if I've gone and done something stupid.

Cheers,
Keith.

[stevem]

some great ideas so far keep em coming!!

personal safety is pretty well a given, enough of us work in industrial situations where personal safety is law, if you wouldnt do it at work without the proper protection, why do it at home? ok so hardhats and safety boots are overkill in most home workshop situations but what about safety glasses and hearing protection? my portable planer is deafening especially with the dust collector on, and the router tables are close behind that
and eye protection is so basic in the working environment, why not at home? so no contact lenses, safety glasses a minimum, goggles even better, face shield even better than that especially when turning on a lathe
edit: another really serious addendum, drugs and alchohol do not go past my shop door, sure its nice to have a beer or two on a saturday afternoon, but NOT in my shop, drugs and alchohol are a nono period. have a beer when the jobs done, not before and drugs? well nuff said
NO WAY!! not in my shop!!
tool safety, guards in place? well i'll be the first to admit that the guard on my table saw is in the drawer marked "might use one day" and the guard on my chopsaws are propped in the open position or disabled completely, but im really careful about thinking through a cut
switches on stationary tools are painted red and clearly visible to a rescuer

fire safety? pretty simple, a couple of good extinguishers, checked regularly in obvious locations and the bigger the better

well sharpened and tuned tools are far safer than dull ones wether power or hand tools, keep your tools in good shape and the shop too, a clean neat shop is far safer than a messy one

visitor safety, this is a biggie, expecting the grandkids to drop by? stay out of the shop!! others have rules, dont come in past the doorway until you have my attention and any equipment is stopped, dont come and tap me on the shoulder when im ripping a piece on the tablesaw
want to stay and watch? well here's the glasses and earmuffs, same as me

my wife used to be an ER nurse, and saturdays were the worst days, home workshop accidents were worse than friday night drunks, she has memories that would make you take up stamp collecting or knitting

[stevem]

one issue that has not yet been brought up, is electrical safety
when i moved in to my now wifes place, the garage was a total disaster, stuff in storage for years, and electrical cords everywhere, infact there was a 2 foot walkway betweent the storage stuff and "workshop space" in a double car garage!! and extension cords everywhere, ahnging from ceiling fixtures, light sockets i mean everywhere even the phone was hanging off the garage door track

my message is dont underestimate electrical needs, extra outlets are cheap and extension cords are a hazard both as a tripping hazard and an electrical one

install plenty of electrical plugs all over, my double car garage has over 20 and they are everywhere, i can plug in any power tool anywhere with no extension cord

the wiring is not difficult, afterall you might use two plugs at a time say a planer and a dust collector, but a 3 hp router and a tablesaw at the same time? never

dont rely on powerbars, they are a menace into themselves and a fire hazard, the're fine for battery chargers, stereo's etc but power tools? no way

dont need 240 for your tools? fine i dont either, but i have lots of outlets so no extension cords, no powerbars

a good electrical supply will safeguard both your house and yourself and if in doubt, call an electrician

for those "in the know", my garage is wired with 3 split circuits that feed most of the outlets plus another circuit for incidentals (grinder, bench lighting), plus a lighting circuit, plus a heating circuit(240, 20 amp) and then on top of that is the origanal garage door opener outlets and the origanal lighting circuit which i beleive a re the same circuit

so dont underestimate electrical needs, overloading circuits is a real fire hazard, and extension cords and powerbars are another hazard all together. my garage is probably extreme in power supply but i only wanted to do it once

[billh]

Interesting one on the Turning Board. Person doesn't use power tools when the winter roads are very bad in case he can't be transported to hospital.
billh

[aussie]

Interesting one on the Turning Board. Person doesn't use power tools when the winter roads are very bad in case he can't be transported to hospital.
billh
The couple of times I've been down to our local hospital it wouldn't matter what the time of year or weather conditions were I don't want to end up there for anything more than a hangnail!

[Bryan @ Woodstock]

A good rule to have : flip light switch on and off to get machine operator's attention

[Gary Zimmel]

Excellent thread....

With the nature of our hobby, having a reminder to work or play safe is priceless. If you are a newbie or seasoned veteran it only takes a second to have things go real bad....

A couple of things that I live by in my shop are,

No loose clothing.

Push sticks are priceless. And I can't have too many on hand.

First aid kit always stocked.

Oily rags to the burn barrel right after use.

Being tired and spinning blades don't mix.

A clean shop is a safer shop.

And. If I have to think whether it is safe or not, ITS NOT.


I have also tried to set my shop up so as I am using my tools I am facing my entrance.

Again excellent tread.

May everyone have safe shop time in 09.....

[dan]

lungs, very important

[stevem]

Fire safety is vastly over looked according to friends of mine in the fire department

dust and various solvents that are present in a home workshop are a disaster waiting to happen and for those in a garage, how about the gasolene for the lawnmower and snowblower

a gallon of gas can create a fire that would boggle your mind in seconds, rags soaked in solvents or stains can ignite for no reason, so put them outside

sparks from embedded stuff in wood can start a fire instantly, so pay attention

electrical cords and powerbars are a menace even when not being used but still plugged in

heating systems, most of which are jury rigged to begin with, deserve a lot of respect, sorry you may disagree, but open flame heating doesnot belong in a woodworking shop, i use an electrical system, though not much safer i can shut it off in a second, the best would hot water radient heat, way out of our budgets of course for most of us

fire protection for the rest of the house, many of us have attached garages, and is well protected by drywall and insulation from the house, do not compromise that fire retardency, the worst i saw was a friend cut a hole in the fire rated drywall on an inside wall to install a cabinet between the studs for some tools, so maintain that fire break

dont panel your shop, sure it looks good for a woodworkingshop to be lined with tongue and groove pine paneling, but ever seen that stuff burn? use drywall, at least 1/2 inch preferably 5/8 fire rated stuff, building code requires 5/8 fire rated on joining walls and the ceiling if the attics are open

penetrations through the drywall MUST be minimal, think smoke and fire, there are sealants for electrical and plumbing penetrations, use them

a messy shop is a real fire hazard, keep it clean then keep and maintain fire extinguishers

[Wayne - Oakville]

My basement/workshop phone is set up so the "SPEAKER" button and "911" can be pressed with an elbow, stick, whatever, in case the hands are not usable.

[Greg from K/W]

tool safety, guards in place? well i'll be the first to admit that the guard on my table saw is in the drawer marked "might use one day" and the guard on my chopsaws are propped in the open position or disabled completely, but im really careful about thinking through a cut


steve I cannot stress enough the importance of getting that chop saw guard repaired please!

I dont think I was 20 yet maybe 18 or 19 on a job site and I was using the carpenters chop saw. I was cutting studs to length. It had no guard on it.
I was sliding studs through it and ting my right hand hit the blade as it was slowing down. Ya it had no break either. If it had been going any faster I would have taken off 3 of my fingers on my right hand. As it was it hit bone in 2 fingers and stopped. It was close. I wound up with an infection in one of the fingers but it cleared up without too much trouble. Broken guards is not something I take lightly. Especially on chop saws. Please repair it buddy. I know your used to it but all it takes is one slip and your in trouble.

[callee]

steve I cannot stress enough the importance of getting that chop saw guard repaired please!


tangential, but this reminds me of how many guys I see on jobsites who bring circular saws with broken guards. It seems that no matter what brand of circular saw it is, the spring that makes the guard close again after the cut is susceptible to breakage, and many of them do. What kills me, though, is the number of guys who just keep using them! Yikes, get that repaired! Or just replace the saw! I mean, a typical sidewinder is not that expensive. Come to think of it, of all the standard tools you bring to a jobsite, it's got to be down there with the cheapest. So why are guys so hesitant to get them fixed? Instead they just say "oh, I just have to remember to manually close the guard before I set the saw down." Yeah, that's a good plan!

Fortunately I haven't seen any bad injuries yet, but I have seen some expensive mistakes! The one time, the guy forgot to manually close his blade and set it down ontop of a hundred foot heavy duty airhose! The air hose was a rental, and replacing a hundred footer isn't cheap! In the second, I didn't see this but my buddy did, the poor flooring sub had just finished laying a whole hardwood floor, and then the contractor showed up and objected to a single board right in the middle of the floor because it had a very tiny knick in it. So the sub went over to plunge cut that board and pry it out, and of course he used his trusty old circular saw with the broken guard! Well, wouldn't you know it, he too forgot that he had to manually close his guard, and when he set it down on the floor beside him it took off like a bat outta hell leaving a lot more than tiny knicks in 82 boards between him and the wall it crashed into! The contractor was so upset, he kicked him off the job, and though they settled later, that sub lost a lot more money than even the best circular saw would have cost!

So, man, one more reason to keep your guards working!

[stevem]

yeah i know, and since posting that, the guards on both of my chopsaws have been made functional again
the sight of a 12 inch blade spinning should scare anyone!!
my only real scare with a chopsaw was some years ago when i trimmed my thumbnail with it, another 1/4 inch and would have been a major incident not just a scary one
other guards?
well the guard on a jointer is pretty easy to work around, tablesaws on the other hand are a pain, especially on regular contractor type saws, ie cant use some dado units, cant use a sliding table at all, partial depth cuts are imposible etc etc
personally, the best safety device on a table saw is a crosscut sled, far superior to a miter guage performance wise and you always know where the blade will exit the cut
and then there's portable power tools, a whole new issue, especially the circular saw, i've been on jobs where the circ saw guard was buggered up, and have seen guys set them down on countertops, new flooring etc etc with disasterous results

[stevem]

good idea wayne, i prefer a cell phone in my carpenters belt, both work, both have their disadvantages/advantages

[Lost in the Woods]

I try to do as much as possible to make things safe.

One area I compromised was in cladding the walls with T1-11 for practical/esthetic reasons. I did wire an interconnected smoke detector for the shop though.

I changed the door - which was shot anyways - coming from the house (attached garage) so that I could lock it from the inside with a readily available key that my wife knows where to grab in case of an emergency only if I don't respond to her either her switching on/off one of the lights from the outside into my shop, or hitting the pause button for the tunes coming from my PC, which is usually playing while I work/tinker/think, to get my attention. I didn't want her walking in and distracting me.

I added to sub panel for all my equipment in the shop, but left all the lighting on the main panel of the house. I thought if the main were to go on the sub at least I could what I was going as a machine I may be working on would wind down. I only have one small window in my one car garage.

I'm thinking of installing one of those emergency lights that come on when the power goes out, but in the interim I plugged in two of those little recepticle night lights they have nowadays that powers on only when it senses there is no power. these little new fangled things can be unplugged from the recepticle and used as a flashlight as well, albeit not incredibly bright, but enough to navigate around.

Other important aspects:


Replaced the manu blade guard on the TS with a Merlin Splitter and the Excalibur overhead guard/dust collector.
Wear safety goggles, and ear protection and faceshield(s) and have spares available for guests/friends.
Never drink and work with power tools or anything sharp.
When tired walk away for another day.
Careful what clothing you wear.
No jewellery or even a watch - get a wall clock.
If metal gets sucked into a vac or DC, investigate to see if it has caused a slow smoldering fire.
Rags soaked in combustible type of finishes/products are to brought outside for drying.
Any proceedure should be thought out about before execution and preoperly assessed before engaging.
Don't work if you are angry/troubled/brain is elsewhere.
Don't rush anything, but working quickly is OK if you are 100% comfortable doing what you're doing and have done it many times, but don't ever let your guard down about what you are doing.
Sweep your floor often, and clear work area as well of debris and tools no longer needed as you work.
If something doesn't feel right, whether it's a tool feeling different the way you're running it, or your brain nagging you that you are forgetting about something STOP and determine what needs inspecting or reassessing.
This thread although brought up previously a few times over the years in a similar vein, has sustained a very good lot of feedback in comparison from the previous ones.
I should buy a fire extinguisher is one thing nagging me though. Which type would be the most appropriate in a shop setting that lends itself to not destroying equipment needlessly if ever used?

[stevem]

i use a regular dry chemical extinguisher in my shop, i have two, one at each end and the're biggie's
dry chemical, while godaweful messy, dont harm anything as far as i know

[Lost in the Woods]

i use a regular dry chemical extinguisher in my shop, i have two, one at each end and the're biggie's
dry chemical, while godaweful messy, dont harm anything as far as i know

So they usually rate them A, B, C, or combos of those types. Which one is yours Steve, and why do you chose it over other(s)?

[stevem]

they are type ABC all pupose and i chose them because that was recommended by a firefighter friend

[Lost in the Woods]

they are type ABC all pupose and i chose them because that was recommended by a firefighter friend

I can't remeber which one is which, but I'm not sure I would see the need for the type of the flammable liquid - like an oil fire on stove - needed for the shop, albeit, what if a bowl of finish did ignite.

I have a couple of firefighter friend/acquaintances, I may just e-mail one of them in particular and see what he thinks since I recall he was into woodworking as well.

[billh]

IIRC:
A is for combustible material like wood, paper, etc
B is for oil fires
C is for electrical
D some metals that ignite.

Obviously, type A is important in a shop. Extinguishers for B or C may be ineffective on a wood fire depending on what it uses. A CO2 extinguisher (class B) will suffocate a wood fire but as soon as the gas dissipates there may be enough stored heat in the wood to re-ignite it again. I personally had that happen to me at a fire safety demonstration.

Some extinguishers are good for multiple classes and they will be rated as ABC, BC, etc. However, they may be much better at one class than they are at the other they have a rating for.

billh

[Lost in the Woods]

Thread resurection/follow-up a bit here...


I should buy a fire extinguisher is one thing nagging me though. Which type would be the most appropriate in a shop setting that lends itself to not destroying equipment needlessly if ever used?

i use a regular dry chemical extinguisher in my shop, i have two, one at each end and the're biggie's
dry chemical, while godaweful messy, dont harm anything as far as i know

So they usually rate them A, B, C, or combos of those types. Which one is yours Steve, and why do you chose it over other(s)?

they are type ABC all pupose and i chose them because that was recommended by a firefighter friend

I can't remeber which one is which, but I'm not sure I would see the need for the type of the flammable liquid - like an oil fire on stove - needed for the shop, albeit, what if a bowl of finish did ignite.

I have a couple of firefighter friend/acquaintances, I may just e-mail one of them in particular and see what he thinks since I recall he was into woodworking as well.



Here's the reply I received from a firefighter/friend/woodworker/PT contractor:

As for the extinguishers, a wood shop usually has need for an "A" (water based) extinguisher for obvious reasons. This however will not deal with the charged electrical conditions you could potentially come across with tools. It also doesn't deal with solvents and paints if you refinish in the area.

My opinion, 2 extinguishers is what you require. If you have a wood, paper or cloth type fire you should have a minimum of a 10A rated extinguisher. A manual hand pump type is great for this (bigger the better...10 litre?).
The second extinguisher should be a CO2 extinguisher (10BC). This will deal with most liquid type (paint, solvent and oil) fires and electrically charged equipment. It leaves no residue and won't harm the equipment.

If you decide to go with a multi-purpose extinguisher (5A10BC,etc.), it will work fine but leaves an awful mess because of its residue. I don't recommend it for this reason.


Makes sense to me, and I think I will follow-up on this for my needs.:thumbup:

[Glenn from Winnipeg]

Was there any comment about pyrene (liquid) extinguishers? I have one as well as a dry chemical one. Both are A, B, C rated (can't remember the numbers but they are the same).

Just a little concerned about using the pyrene where electricity might be involved but since they are both rated the same, I'm thinking there shuldn't be a problem. The pyrene ones are sold by Costco

glenn

[Lost in the Woods]

Was there any comment about pyrene (liquid) extinguishers? I have one as well as a dry chemical one. Both are A, B, C rated (can't remember the numbers but they are the same).

Just a little concerned about using the pyrene where electricity might be involved but since they are both rated the same, I'm thinking there shuldn't be a problem. The pyrene ones are sold by Costco

glenn

It seems from what my friend passed on to me, and other comments previous in this thread, it is any of the combo ABC types, that because of their residue, are not the most desirable in the shop. Then again, they are better than nothing at all.