Safety Rules General Safety Rules: The most obvious safety rule is to be careful. Pay attention to what you are doing and do not rush. Repetitious jobs are more likely to cause inattention. Try to avoid monotony and boredom.
Being careful means being careful all the time. You can be careful for years and then get hurt in two seconds of inattention. This is entirely under your own control. Being careful is your best defense against injury.
Avoid danger by using common sense. Some people accept a greater risk of danger in order to work faster, more conveniently, etc. Do not hurry and cut corners on safety. Some people take greater risks because they have a strange notion of invulnerability, or as a show of bravado. This will gain no respect for you in our shop.
Power Tools: Each power tool has its own set of safety rules. They are safe when properly used, but they can cause serious accidents when misused. You will be trained on each power tool before you use it. In general, power tools have rotating parts that can wind you in like a fishing reel if they catch on clothes, hair, or jewelry. Power tools can throw debris at you, so eye or face protection is necessary. Ear protection from loud noise is also often necessary. Make sure the work surface and floors are clear, and get EVERYTHING ready before you hit the ON switch.
Students may NEVER operate unguarded power tools. Sometimes there is a strong temptation to remove safety guards when they seem to complicate the work. If you think you need to do something without the standard blade guard, stop and ask the staff. In cases where a guard must be removed, a jig will be put in its place to allow for safe operation of the saw and still provide adequate protection to the user.
Pneumatic tools are power tools also. You must learn each one before use. They also have safety guards, with the exception of the smaller stapler. Do not ever defeat the safety or use the tools in a manner they were not made for. (i.e., It is not a target gun!)
Hands: Hands are most susceptible to injury. Watch the cutting edge of any tool, especially the power tools, and be aware of where your hands are in relation to it. Pay attention and do not get distracted. There is a dangerous temptation to hold parts together with one hand while shooting pneumatic tools with the other. Sometimes staples and nails turn inside the wood and poke out where you do not expect them. This would seem elementary, but the number of bad cuts from matte knives is incredible. Chisels fall into this category also. The simple rule is to keep both hands behind the direction in which the sharp edge is going and never pull a blade towards your body.
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