Shop Safety

[LLCoolBeans]

I thought we should have a shop safety thread.

PhotonFanatic made mention on another thread about having a bucket full of sand and a scoop in the shop as an el cheapo alternative to expensive fire extinguishers.

This seemed like a great idea to me and made me wonder what other simple things could be done to vastly improve shop safety, that some of us might have overlooked.

EDIT: Discussion need not be limited to the confines of the above statement. If you have any information to share concerning shop safety that you feel others might benefit from, please do share. While you're here, take a few minutes and read through the entire thread. Who knows, maybe there is some issue relating to shop safety you have overlooked.

 

[Anglepoise]

No finger rings, no neck chains, long hair or loose fitting clothing.

 

[will]

Newer chuck keys ( lathe and drill press ) have a spring that pops the key out. The only way to use the key is by pushing it in. That way, the operator, can not leave the key in and start the machine.

Safety glasses...

 

[65535]

I'm guessing the number of lathe key accidents is huge on the newby arena.

 

[piesoup]

I'm guessing the number of lathe key accidents is huge on the newby arena.

I think you're right. One good habbit I have is I won't turn on the lathe unless I have the chuck key in my hand. Something that has been drilled into me over the years of my apprenticship!
A tidy workshop is a safe workshop. Especially the area around the lathe, mill, grinder etc.

 

[LLCoolBeans]

I like the chuck key ejection feature too. However, I've found that a manual centering 4-jaw, helps with this too. Since you have to remove it to check for center after each adjustment, it's difficult to leave it in the chuck.

 

[StrikerDown]

In case of fire?

What would be the prefered type fire extinguisher for a home shop?

 

[gadget_lover]

Re: In case of fire?

What would be the prefered type fire extinguisher for a home shop?

Depends on the fire.

I keep a general purpose ABC fire extinguisher near each end of the garage and next to both of the doors. These are not the best solution since they leave a residue that's hard to clean. They are still much better than trying to clean charcoal after the house burns down.

Ideally, a CO2 will work well for the class B and C fires and will leave no residue. I need to pick up a few of those.

We once had an electrical fire at the place where I worked. We had 24 and 48 volt DC conductors that ran from the power room in the basement to the 4th floor. A cable got nicked where it came up through the floor and started arcing to the metal flashing. Since the conductor in the cable was about an inch the fuses did not even think about tripping. I don't remember how many of the 30 or so cables were eventually involved.

I do remember that the fire truck emptied two 500 lb dry chemical extinguisher. We spent weeks crawling around vacuuming the powder out of all the equipment.

Which brings me to my points;
1) if it's electrical, unplug it as soon as possible. An extinguisher can only keep the fire out if it's not being fed.
2) Don't assume that the breakers will trip
3) Practice with a fire extinguisher outside at least once. You will waste a fire extinguisher, but that's the only way to really learn. It's a real trip to try to extinguish a burning pile of paper only to see it fly everywhere, still alight.
4) Keep more extinguishers than you think you need. I've seen small fires become quite big in the time that it took me to figure out that I was in trouble ( Yes, I was a fire bug as a kid). If you have to race to the other side of the house for an extinguisher.....
5) Keep a bucket of sand available. It really does work in many cases, it's cheap and you can use it when annealing.

Ok too much said.


Daniel

 

[wquiles]

Safety glasses...

+1

#1 on my list. I have no less than 3 of them, one on each bench or machine I use. And yes, stuff/chips/debris/etc. has hit my safely glasses "many" times. I honestly feel naked without them in the shop.

Now that I am older and need reading glasses, I found that you can buy safety glasses with the built-in "readers" on the bottom, so that is what I use now

Will

 

[gadget_lover]

Re: In case of fire?

I've always had drills in the drawer. When i got into doing flashlights I decided I needed a real drill press. Now I have a nice 15 inch swing floor stand with ~ 1 hp motor.

Did you klnow that you can not hold onto a simple 1 inch thick bar when the drill bit siezes? It will rip right out of your hand and spin till it hits something or till the bit breaks. Then it goes flying.

So use of a clamp, dog or fnce is required when drilling. Never try to hold things free hand.

Daniel

 

[LLCoolBeans]

+1

#1 on my list. I have no less than 3 of them, one on each bench or machine I use. And yes, stuff/chips/debris/etc. has hit my safely glasses "many" times. I honestly feel naked without them in the shop.

Now that I am older and need reading glasses, I found that you can buy safety glasses with the built-in "readers" on the bottom, so that is what I use now

Will

You can also get them with removable prescription inserts. This is what I use...

http://www.esseyepro.com/ICE-Series-Eyeshields_18_category.html

 

[65535]

Re: In case of fire?

I've always had drills in the drawer. When i got into doing flashlights I decided I needed a real drill press. Now I have a nice 15 inch swing floor stand with ~ 1 hp motor.

Did you klnow that you can not hold onto a simple 1 inch thick bar when the drill bit siezes? It will rip right out of your hand and spin till it hits something or till the bit breaks. Then it goes flying.

So use of a clamp, dog or fnce is required when drilling. Never try to hold things free hand.

Daniel

Thin wood is the only thing I would ever consider holding by hand in a drill press. Seeing a chunk of anything flying around in circles at high rpms knowing that the shaft it's on will snap soon, and no way to reach the off switch is sobering.

I have a clever idea for the chuck key, (because I hate self ejecting keys I really do) make up a little kill switch that disconnects the motor and it operate the kill switch you have to insert the chuck key into a hole in the top of the lathe and turn a switch that has a square drive slot on the top. You won't even be able to run the lathe with the key in. (unless you cheat and use a 2nd chuck key to start it.

I'd also imagine a lot of newbies leave things like chuck keys or other tools on the lathe bed or in a spot where it could get wrapped up in chips or hit by moving parts and send it flying or spinning.

 

[KC2IXE]

Re: In case of fire?

...snip...So use of a clamp, dog or fnce is required when drilling. Never try to hold things free hand.

Daniel

I've been told by more than one source that more machine shop accidents happen with a drill press than any other machine.

As for spinning work, beack when I worked for the crane company we had a BIG old Buffalo drill press. I have no idea how many HP, but to give you an idea of the size, it took MT5 drill bits. One day, Freddie had a 6" H beam about 8 ft long up on a reast, and the end on the table, dilling something like a 1.5" hole. Eddie (the real machinist) and I looked at him "Dog that beam down", But Fred knew better. He engaged the power feed (Yes folks, big drill presses have power feeds). I made sure I was WELL clear, as did Ed. I did make sure Fred was on the "safer" side of the work.

Well, sure enough, the bit grabbed, and it picked up that H beam, and swung it aroun (at all of like 60 rpm) till the beam hit the wall, and fell off the bit (breaking the lip off one flute of the bit).

Impressive

You'd think Fred would learn. In the 4 years or so years I worked there, I watched Fred walk away from 5-6 accidents that could have killed him, all without a scratch. In general, we tried to keep him away from anything dangerious, his most common job? To be handed a bucket of paint, and a brush, to paint the beams

 

[LLCoolBeans]

Re: In case of fire?

I've been told by more than one source that more machine shop accidents happen with a drill press than any other machine.

I don't have any trouble believing that.

Next in line is probably the belt sander, followed by the buffing wheel.

 

[Seiko]

Every time I have been hurt using the drill press, it was for that one "quick" hole I didn't need to clamp or adjust the fence

Grinding anything forget the safety glasses, and put on the full face shield. Ive had nice red hot Ti get in the gap between the bottom of the glasses.

Also if working with g10 and Carbon Fiber, always use your approved mask. That stuff will put a hurting on your lungs.
If you are going to work with it alot, get a good dust evac system.

No animals in the shop, if you love your dog, leave him inside. Kit Carson's dog died a few years back due to G10 in the lungs.

 

[Seiko]

Re: In case of fire?

I don't have any trouble believing that.

Next in line is probably the belt sander, followed by the buffing wheel.

Buffing wheels are scary!!!!! I'm probably the more afraid that then any other shop tool. Ive seen them toss knives almost through 2x4's behind plaster walls.

 

[will]

I do a lot of woodworking -

dangerous - radial arm saw, table saw.....

 

[KC2IXE]

I do a lot of woodworking -

dangerous - radial arm saw, table saw.....

Yes, I's say probably some of the WORST accidents happen with these. The thing about the drill press is it LOOKS so safe. Besides grabbing the work, other commong injuries - going to stop the spindle by grabbing the chuck, and grabbing the bit, someone bending over to look st the likeup of the bit on a punch mark, and getting their har snagged ib the rotating parts....

 

[gadget_lover]

someone bending over to look st the likeup of the bit on a punch mark, and getting their har snagged ib the rotating parts....

Ohhhh. Memories....

In the early 70's my hair was shoulder length. I was drilling 1/8 inch holes in green wood with a hand drill. The flutes were clogged with packed in saw dust, so ran it full speed while blowing on it. It not only caught my hair, it climbed right up and hit me in the head.

The scare came when I cut the bloody hair to free the drill and found only 1/2 of the bit. There was a gash in my forehead. I was sure the rest of the bit was in my skull. I found the end of the broken bit 10 minutes later. That was one of the longest 10 minutes of my life.


So On topic... Short hair or hair net to keep it away from tools. Tying hair back is not enough.

Daniel

 

[LLCoolBeans]

So On topic... Short hair or hair net to keep it away from tools. Tying hair back is not enough.

Daniel,

I think your post is very much on topic. Reading stories of shop mishaps increases ones awareness of safety, which in turn creates a safer shop environment. That is exactly the intention of this thread.

EDIT: I may have not articulated my intention for this thread very well my original post. I have updated it for clarity.