Workshop Safety - Read This!!

[sometimewoodworker]

 

Workshop Safety is mostly a case of understanding the process and then following sensible procedures.

 

Do not watch someone who has really good knowledge and assume that what they are doing is something you should automatically follow.

 

Gloves around rotating machinery?
Always bad? No.

Always good? Absolutely not.

 

Dust masks correct for the material?
Always needed? No

Usually required? Yes

 

Hearing protection?

Always needed? No

Usually required? Yes

Dependant on the noise level? Absolutely.

Required if attending an Isaan concert? Absolutely 

 

Rings? 
Always bad? No.

Always good? Absolutely not.

Very dependent on your activity; 

Car mechanic? Don’t wear ever

Electrical work;

High and medium voltage? Don’t wear ever, & wear proper gloves and clothes 
low voltage? (under 380V) don’t wear.

very low voltage (under 50V) and low current? Doesn’t matter, wear gloves if useful 

 

Gloves?

Case by case, too many to specify but

Rough wood? wear proper gloves
solvent finishes? wear proper gloves, and eye protection, and organic filter mask

 

Shoes? Again case by case.

if your feet are too hot and sweaty you will be distracted.

If you have sharp things that drop you will be protected 

 

Eye protection?

generally yes.

 

head protection? Case by case.

Worksite? Always 

Riding a motorcycle? Always

Riding a scooter? You should, but many don’t 

in a private workshop? If needed yes. But if it’s needed you must have terrible workshop design or a unique use case

 

My thoughts, and in no special order.

 

Very important point. I don't care about your professional opinion, just because in your profession something is required. Because in a professional setting it has little to do with safety as the rules are made to save money. Some maybe be good, some may be excellent, some are as dumb as rocks. But the workers are not expected to have more intelligence than a slime mould.

 

 

[OneMoreFarang]

Thanks!

 

Recently I bough a circular saw. I never used one until now so I searched in YouTube. There are lots of videos with tips and tricks and it seems many of them are made by people who know what they are doing.

So I think it's a good idea to look for a video or two for the informaiton.

 

This is one sample of such a video:

 

[degrub]

10 hours ago, sometimewoodworker said:

Because in a professional setting it has little to do with safety as the rules are made to save money.

Exactly right. If i go home at the end of the day with all my fingers still on my hand, i have prevented the insurance company from making a case payout. Sounds like a win for me. 
 

Dumb seeming or not, for them it is about the likelihood of having to make a payout. That is based on previous accident history and what was found in the investigation.  Some rules and designs work directly to prevent the loss, some are supportive in reducing the chance.  It usually takes both    approaches so the person doing the work goes home intact.  The supportive rules seem to get the most complaints because people are smart and can figure out another way to do the work, maybe cheaper, maybe faster.  Maybe so. I would not want to be on a flight where the machine operator (pilot) does not use the checklists before leaving the ground. 
 

 

[xtrnuno41]

19 hours ago, sometimewoodworker said:

Because in a professional setting it has little to do with safety as the rules are made to save money

It is nice if your boss (in some countries by law) provide working shoes, so you can go home with all toes still attached to you. A helmet so your head is protected against banging to something and you wind up in hospital in coma.

And all other safety equipment, sometimes no fun, but it works.

Yes, money could be saved. But think about your own health when you are working and you miss your toes or lie down in a coma or fall down from a scaffold, breaking a part of your body.

Possibility of dying is also there, you break your neck for instance.

So i dont agree with your stand, has little to do with safety.

 

It has all to do with your safety and your health and it also saves YOU money, when you cant work anymore. But also have to miss pleasures of not being complete anymore.

In private it is up to you, but for sure wise to think before you leap.

You want to work on live electricity? Use a crappy chair to change a light bulb, break a leg (figuratively and literally)!?  

 

And that is my personal opinion.

 

Not long ago, there was an actor helping out with a snow machine.

He was severely injured and ended up in hospital. Almost died.

Allegedly forgot about safety, almost died, ended up in hospital and costed him a lot. Aah, he is an actor, can do all, not.

 

[Muhendis]

22 hours ago, sometimewoodworker said:

the rules are made to save money.

The rules are also useful as protection for the employer against personal injury claims as well as helping to make sure the workers can spend time working rather than being off work due to accidental damage.

[sometimewoodworker]

All the comments re enforce the statement I made,

 

just because in your profession something is required. Because in a professional setting it has little to do with safety as the rules are made to save money. Some maybe be good, some may be excellent, some are as dumb as rocks. But the workers are not expected to have more intelligence than a slime mould.

 

they just emphasise that the rules are there ultimately to save money. 

 

this forum is not, should not, can never be used as any kind of advice regarding workplace rules, regulations, or laws. It is almost a given that they (workplace R. R. L) have to assume the intelligence of the aforementioned cellular organism. Opinions are a different case, and naturally you are welcome to voice them, as I am free to vehemently disagree, or even agree.

 

If you are incapable of the capacity to understand the dangers and pleasures available in doing things yourself then open your wallet and give the moths room to breath and pay for someone do it for you

[Crossy]

OK chaps, whilst the comments on insurance and saving the company $$$ by going home in one piece are valid, can we stick to how to be safe in your own workshop please?

 

This is the DIY forum after all.

 

 

[farmerjo]

I find having a messy workshop with tools spread everywhere works for me in Thailand.

That way the correct tools for the job are hard to find for others to take and improves my safety.

Having a good vice to hold jobs in is most important to me.

[brianthainess]

On 2/14/2023 at 12:35 PM, sometimewoodworker said:

 

Workshop Safety is mostly a case of understanding the process and then following sensible procedures.

 

Do not watch someone who has really good knowledge and assume that what they are doing is something you should automatically follow.

 

Gloves around rotating machinery?
Always bad? No.

Always good? Absolutely not.

 

Dust masks correct for the material?
Always needed? No

Usually required? Yes

 

Hearing protection?

Always needed? No

Usually required? Yes

Dependant on the noise level? Absolutely.

Required if attending an Isaan concert? Absolutely 

 

Rings? 
Always bad? No.

Always good? Absolutely not.

Very dependent on your activity; 

Car mechanic? Don’t wear ever

Electrical work;

High and medium voltage? Don’t wear ever, & wear proper gloves and clothes 
low voltage? (under 380V) don’t wear.

very low voltage (under 50V) and low current? Doesn’t matter, wear gloves if useful 

 

Gloves?

Case by case, too many to specify but

Rough wood? wear proper gloves
solvent finishes? wear proper gloves, and eye protection, and organic filter mask

 

Shoes? Again case by case.

if your feet are too hot and sweaty you will be distracted.

If you have sharp things that drop you will be protected 

 

Eye protection?

generally yes.

 

head protection? Case by case.

Worksite? Always 

Riding a motorcycle? Always

Riding a scooter? You should, but many don’t 

in a private workshop? If needed yes. But if it’s needed you must have terrible workshop design or a unique use case

 

My thoughts, and in no special order.

 

Very important point. I don't care about your professional opinion, just because in your profession something is required. Because in a professional setting it has little to do with safety as the rules are made to save money. Some maybe be good, some may be excellent, some are as dumb as rocks. But the workers are not expected to have more intelligence than a slime mould.

 

 

When I was at Tech Collège, we had a sign up in the workshop;

Dangling cuffs

dangling ties

whirling wheels nasty surprise.       

 long hair is also dangerous.  never grind aluminum on a grindstone, it can penetrate the stone and make it explode.