Safety in woodworking - DIY woodworking India

Safety in woodworking 

~ Danger is only a millimetre away

We all know how important this topic is. Sometimes due to overlook or negligence, woodworkers forget to take safety measures while dealing with different tools. Come on! Negligence can be lethal. I come across photographs of injuries people encounter while dealing with power tools. Therefore, always be careful. I will discuss about a few basic thumb rules we should follow in woodworking. 

If you do not have following items at your woodworking desk, buy them now.

1. Goggles
2. Gloves - woodworking, welding
3. Ear bud
4. Apron 
5. Shoe
6. Mask

EYE

The most important sense organ of human, don't you ever bother to protect it? Wear goggles, a good grade one. When there is a bad day, anything can happen. 

- When you operate an angle grinder on a metal, there is always a chance of pieces of metals flying towards you. You have to protect yourself from that. 

- Then consider a table saw/circular saw cutting a piece of wood. Wood dust can damage your eyes. When your eyes are looking at the direction of saw blade coming outwards, that can be really dangerous. First hit is eye, then due to momentary blindness due to saw dust, your circular saw can run out of track cutting away your fingers!

- When you are welding, you should always wear rated black glass required. Wear full mask welding helmet. Use apron and wear leather shoes. Do not forget to wear welding gloves.

* It happened with me while cutting a piece of plywood using a circular saw. As the piece was 8'x4' and it was lying against a wall, I was cutting the same sideways, perpendicular to my body. All of a sudden, saw dust went into my left eye. I was unable to keep my eyes open. Fortunately, I could stop the saw. Only after a couple of hours treatment, I could get back my full eyesight. The pain was there for a whole day. From that moment on, I have become very careful particularly when dealing with power tools and my eyes. 

NOSE

The second important organ - use mask to protect your respiratory system getting clogged with saw dust.

EAR

Use earbuds while dealing with circular saw or any other tool which makes too much noises.

HAND

Use gloves all the time I would say. There are instances of injuries while operating even the hand planer. See the probable incidents.

- When you run your hand saw to cut a wood piece. You often keep your left hand on the left of the cutting mark. Slight mistake, your saw might run over your couple of fingers. 

- Turning a screw driver can also damage your palm. Yes, as time passes, your skin will thicken. But there is always a chance of infection. 

- Running an angle grinder, different types of electric saws can cause damages. 

- Have you realised that a wrong strike of the hammer can break your finger joint?

- When softening the wood piece using a sandpaper - if you are not careful, the wood grain can tear a part of your skin.

LEG

When you deal with power tools, it is always advisable to wear shoes. Any malfunction in circuitry of those tool can discharge through your body if you are not properly insulated from ground.

Hope it helps.