Power Tool Safety

by Dave Markel

There are a number of things that every wood worker needs to know when they are working with power tools (to a lessor extent, hand tools). Some things are plainly obvious but others are often overlooked.

On the serious side, planning ahead may be what save your life. Some of the power tools available are very powerful and often rotate at extremely high speeds. Hard carbide has very little trouble with soft flesh. I have worked in remote areas where it was several hours to the hospital and safety was an absolute priority.

Remember what might be obvious now may become very clouded when injured and you are in shock. The list below (not necessarily in order of importance) will greatly reduce the chance of injury.

Read the instruction manuals that come with the power tools that you buy and learn about the tool. There is always information specific to the safe operation and other precautions associated with that particular tool. After all the manufacturer know their tools better then anyone. Wear ear, eye and if needed face protection. This is obvious, for face and eye's, remember hard steel, soft flesh. Hearing protection is often forgotten because it is such a gradual change. The simple fact is that running wood working tools for long durations without hearing protection is going to reduce your hearing.

Do Not wear loose clothing or have long hair hanging free. This can result in severe injury if hair or clothing gets caught in the machine. People have been scalped from industrial machinery by not taking the right precautions.

Keeping the shop neat and tidy will reduce the chance of slip and fall accidents. Lot of the time while in the shop you are focused on the task at hand and not realize where your feet are. Always sweep up saw dust or scraps or better yet install a dust collection system to collect the wood debris from the tools and dispose of it.

Keep your power tools in good working order especially saw blades. The sharper a saw blade is the less effort it take the tool to perform the cut and this reduces the effort you need to use to feed the wood through the tool. If you are having to force a piece of wood through a table saw it increases the chance of you slipping and injuring yourself.

Do Not work in your shop if your have been drinking or taking medication. Both can alter your perception and increase the likely hood of an injury.

Prepare for the worst. Remember after you are injure is too late to be trying to think of what to do. The adrenalin will be flowing and the chance of shock is always present.

Before you get injured post a plan in your shop for dealing with an emergency. It should have the numbers for an ambulance as well as a neighbor or a friend that can assist you if needed. Also, have a phone in your shop with an emergency number set to speed dial. Have a fully stocked first aid kit in your shop to deal with any emergencies and some knowledge of how to dress an injury if needed.

Focus of the task. It is not a good idea to work in the shop when your mind is distracted. This can lead to inattention and accidents. It is ok to relax and unwind in the shop but not while the tools are turned on. Unplug tools when not in use or when changing attachments and servicing. It is also a good idea to lock out your power in your shop when you are not using it. This will prevent children from accidentally turning on the tools and injuring themselves.

About the Author:
Dave Markel is the author of "The All Wood Working Journal". He has helped hundreds of individuals improve their wood working skills. Visit his site at http://all-wood-working-plans.com Subscribe to the All Wood Working Journal at http://all-wood-working-plans.com/wood-working-tips.html

Please remember to consider and take appropriate safety precautions before and during any art or craft project.

Some craft projects on this site may be unsuitable for children. In any case, adult-supervision is required all children's craft activities and projects.

This article is reprinted here with the author's express permission.

Related Pages + Web Sites

Other websites that may be of interest:

Crafts eBooks and Downloads - Guides, eBooks and other websites about crafts
MisterArt - Huge selection of discount art & craft supplies.
(Advertisement)

Other pages of interest on this website:

Woodworking Articles
Woodworking Books + Guides

All views, opinions and ideas expressed in this article are those of the article's author and not necessarily those of Answers 2000 Limited.

Privacy Terms Of Use Advertising/Endorsements Disclosures

Copyright © 2005-2009, Answers 2000 Limited

CERTAIN CONTENT THAT APPEARS ON THIS SITE COMES FROM AMAZON SERVICES LLC. THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED 'AS IS' AND IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE OR REMOVAL AT ANY TIME.

In Association With Amazon.com
All trademarks are property of their respective owners.
All third party content and adverts are copyright of their respective owners.

Disclosure: Our company's websites' content (including this website's content) includes advertisements for our own company's websites, products, and services, and for other organization's websites, products, and services. In the case of links to other organization's websites, our company may receive a payment, (1) if you purchase products or services, or (2) if you sign-up for third party offers, after following links from this website. Unless specifically otherwise stated, information about other organization's products and services, is based on information provided by that organization, the product/service vendor, and/or publicly available information - and should not be taken to mean that we have used the product/service in question. Additionally, our company's websites contain some adverts which we are paid to display, but whose content is not selected by us, such as Google AdSense ads. For more detailed information, please see Advertising/Endorsements Disclosures

Some graphics on our web sites are Copyright (C) 1997-2000 Hemera Technologies Inc., and used under license. All such pictures are provided for viewing purposes only and are not to be saved or downloaded. All such pictures of recognizable individuals are models and used for illustrative purposes only, and not meant to imply any association or endorsement of said individual with any product or service.