Do it yourself safety tips, or how to avoid a tool-shed lobotomy
It's perhaps an exaggeration that a careless workman can give themselves a frontal lobotomy unless of course, they were to approach their drill stand from an almost impossible angle, though it's a serious subject, in that without tool-shed safety, the vulnerable areas that affect the workman can be hands, eyes, ears and can leave someone handicapped for life. There is truth in the statement that not all accidents kill, though the impact that they can have upon the lives of those who sustain injury are sufficiently serious to take safety into account when working in the tool shed.
INTRODUCING NEW TOOLS
The introduction of new tools creates in itself a hazard. Using tools without reading the instructions thoroughly can and does cause injury. Getting used to the handling of new tools is essential, as is reading all the guidelines for safety. Installing machines where they have adequate space for use and where movement is not impaired is also wise. Many tools come in packs where safety shields have to be attached and these are essential and made for a purpose.
EYES
Your eyes are extremely important. A moment of carelessness can cost you your sight. Here, looking at the kind of work that is performed in a workshop environment, there are some areas that make the eyes more vulnerable than others. Any project that splatters sawdust should be performed with the use of goggles. Some of the models provided by shops are cumbersome, and the way to get around this is to choose those that not only give you comfort, but adequate protection. Many tool shop machines have a tendency to kick back, and here, protecting the eyes is essential. Attachments to tools can also be very dangerous if not fitted properly, and in particular router pieces fly through the air upon impact if not correctly in their collet. Ensure that bits are attached firmly, and always protect the eyes from danger.
EARS
Many tools produce a high decibel of sound that can damage the eardrums. Here, a lightweight good quality set of mufflers can protect the ears, though being careful to recognize that the muffling of the sound has it's own disadvantages, the sooner the workman gets accustomed to using mufflers the better, since this will make them aware of the familiarity of sounds that signal problems with machines even though they are wearing them.
LUNGS
It is hard to image that lungs are affected by tool shop work. They really are. When mixing compounds that produce dust, the lungs suffer by inhaling tiny particles that can accumulate and cause serious illness. Even seemingly harmless products like wallpaper paste or plaster do produce dust in the mixing process and here, it would be wise to use a mask. It' s the same with any woodwork that produces sawdust in the air. Even with a dust extractor, there are still particles that float in the air and are able to be inhaled. These are not cumbersome masks, but lightweight ones that stop those particles being breathed in.
FINGERS AND HANDS
Here, the fingers and hands are particularly vulnerable when working with any kind of blade. There are tools that are used for pushing the stock item forward when the item is small that mean that the hands are always safely away from blades. Using the guards provided with machines, the hands are protected and less vulnerable. We all hear about the man who hits his hand with a hammer, and accidents of this nature will happen, though this is where working in a clean environment helps, because most accidents happen when working in cluttered tool-sheds where the angle of work is not ideal. By keeping the workshop clean and by having set areas for set tasks, the risk is automatically lessened.
FEET
If you have ever dropped a plank of raw wood onto your foot, you will indeed know the benefit of wearing steel toed boots when working with heavy materials. It hurts to drop that item on your foot and protective boots really is the way to ensure that your feet are protected from harm. Here as well, always be sure to clean the floor area of the tool-shed because there may be glass left from glazing projects that can damage not only your own feet but those of children.
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
While it may not be obvious to everyone, when working with metal and particularly lead within the tool-shed, the poison element of the lead passes to the hands. Whether this be in ironmongery, or simple fishing weights, any handling of lead that is not followed by a thorough wash of the hands can lead to food poisoning.
BACK
The backbone or spine area of a human being is important, and once damaged can debilitate someone for the rest of their lives. Within a workshop environment what happens is that repetitive strain can show in the position of the vertebrae and can cause damage. Working in a position that is more comfortable is essential and even if this means having different tools at different
heights is well worth considering, since working in a badly positioned stance can cause back problems not just for now, but for the future.
LIFE OR DEATH
Here, having cables that trail across floors, or that can be cut by blades while working is dangerous and can kill you. Looking at the organization of the tool-shed is essential to ensure that adequate plugs are provided, that power tools are used carefully and that leads are not left as a hazard that can be tripped over mean the difference between life and death.
Putting away chemicals that can be swallowed by children is also essential. Here, the tool-shed may have gardening poisons that could kill children. Tools not in use should be taken off the mains supply since these also mean that children may accidentally turn on machines when you are not present. Do lock vulnerable areas and only allow children access when supervised.
THE LOBOTOMY
Of course the subject matter of this article is a tongue in cheek one, since the lobotomy is a drilling of holes in the skull performed in a hospital, though the seriousness of the subject is such that those working in an environment such as a tool-shed really should be aware of the strain they are putting on their bodies and the risks that they take, since without being aware, they may just as well be a patient living with a lobotomy who would be unaware of the dangers poised until that awful day when accidents happen. By turning a blind eye to safety, every day hundreds of workers all over the world risk their own wellbeing through enthusiasm, carelessness or lack of order.
To address these problems and be aware that they are real possibilities makes the world of difference in the odds that face those working where risk is very real, and cut down the risk factor to an acceptable level. Be safe, be happy in the knowledge that you took precautions to make the tool-shed a safe place to be.
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