As with any other profession, woodworking is not just a simple job to make money, but an art form, and the woodworkers are considered artists because they have the ability to use their exceptional craftsmanship to make a simple piece of wood. However, woodworking is a profession where safety is the main characteristic. Aside from the pleasure of making new wood products, there are also many risk factors. Every step of woodworking is at risk as the environment is filled with multiple sharp tools and blades, including too many electrical appliances, as most traditional woodworking tools have been converted into electrically powered tools using advanced tooling technologies. As a result, the working environments for the woodworkers become a bit complicated. Because in addition to concentrating on their respective work, they must also keep an eye on compliance with appropriate safety measures.
Either way, whether you are a beginner or a professional Dexter woodworker, safety should be the number one concern to make your woodworking projects successful. It's not just important that you take care of the safety of your colleagues who work alongside you. Everyone must follow the safety warnings when using woodworking tools such as electric saws, drills, or other power tools, as woodworkers run the risk of temporary electrical outlets which can cause sudden electrical hazards or be injured when using hand or power tools. Or it is possible that a woodworker's jewelry or cloth is stuck in the moving machine and he or she is unable to save himself from it. In addition, woodworkers do not only have risks from machines. It is entirely possible for a woodworker to have breathing problems from overpowering wood glue, paint, or resin odor, or hitting sawdust particles on a person's eyes.
Regardless of the fact that no workshop surrounded by various sharpened devices and power tools is a place of any kind of negligence. There is no way to ignore the safety precautions when working in a woodworking workshop. You should be very committed to your woodworking projects as well as working tool handling. When operating new power tools, it is essential to follow the safety instructions. For this reason, taking into account all possible risk factors, we have tried to list some essential safety guidelines for the woodworkers.
So let's start by letting them know:
Plan for emergency situations
Prepare for emergencies in advance. Make appropriate preventive plans to eliminate unexpected situations or accidents while you are at work. Post the emergency numbers on the wall of your workshop so anyone can ask for help to cover the situation.
Wear appropriate work clothes
Avoid wearing loose clothing while working in the workshop. Loosened clothing can get stuck in the spinning machines and cause unbearable injuries to woodworkers. Wear slim fit jumpsuits and a good pair of steel boots to fully get ready and be protected from the machines.
Good communication with your nearest help
Create good relationships with your co-workers and the other shopkeepers nearby. So that you can ask for help in emergencies. Of course, help them back when it's your turn.
Use protective glasses
Wear suitable safety glasses to protect your eyes from flying sawdust and wood particles. Wood dust is very irritating when stuck in the eyes. Eyes are the main components in woodworking, so they need to be looked after while working. For more information on such safety measures and woodworking, please contact the edge cutter operated by Bill Baum.
Keep the work areas clean
Try to keep your workplace organized and clean. When your workshop is overcrowded, the likelihood of mismanagement and accidents increases.
Keep the first aid kit at your workplace
Set up a first aid corner in your workshop and have an emergency first aid kit that includes burnole, saline, antiseptic creams, gauges, plasters, life saving medication, etc.
Use gloves
Wear gloves to protect hands from rubbing when carrying wooden products. Sometimes these chemical coatings on the processed woods or natural drains from the raw woods can cause irritation and allergic reactions to the hands. A good pair of gloves can keep your hands safe from such problems.
Correct disposal system for sawdust or wood particles
Make sure that the sawdust particles generated are properly removed every day after cutting and shaping. Otherwise, such piles of sawdust particles can cause lung disease in the long run.
Wear face masks
Use face shields and protective masks to reduce inhalation of sawdust particles. In addition, acidic and strong vapors from wood finishing oils and paints are sometimes very annoying.
Use hearing protection
Most power tools make too much noise when in use. Such an excessive amount of noise is undoubtedly harmful to our ears and can lead to permanent hearing loss. It is therefore advisable to use earmuffs to protect your ears from overpowering electronic sounds.
Follow the tool's instruction manual
Respect the mechanism of the tools while you are using them and never try to operate them without knowing the proper handling procedures. Never take the risk of misusing power tools. Since such tools are sensitive and expensive enough, they also cause money to be lost.
Do not use dull blades and saws
Never take risks with dull blades and saws. These would kill both your time and effort. Using sharpened blades and saws will speed up your work schedules and make the cuts and folds perfect.
Be careful when working on existing wooden structures
If you want to edit pre-made wooden structures such as walls, cabinets, etc., remove the possible electrical connections. Otherwise, it would be dangerous for direct power connections to come into contact with power tools, as friction between the two can cause fires.
Get a proper ventilation system
Make sure you have a good ventilation system in your workshop so that workers can get enough fresh air while they work. Usually the atmosphere in the woodworking shop is very suffocating due to wood dust. Install large fans including other ventilation systems to make the workshop environment healthy.
Avoid indulging in a damp atmosphere in the workshop
Use caution when getting the interior of your workshop damp or wet. Since the workshop is certainly surrounded by many power tools, wet surfaces can cause short circuits and electrify the entire area. In addition, the watery surface would be slippery and cause physical injury to workers.
Make sure you have the right lighting
Your workplace must have enough light to be able to carry out the measurements, cuts, shapes and the right handicrafts. A poor lighting system means you are more prone to breakdowns. Instead of using temporary lighting accessories, arrange hard-wired shop lights to reduce the risk of fire from overheated light bulbs or lamps.
Avoid electrical trips
Make sure all electronic devices are properly plugged into the main electrical outlet. If you are working remotely from the main electrical outlet, try to secure the extension cords with the electrical tapes or the gaffer tapes to avoid tripping hazards.
Avoid taking sedatives, drugs, and alcohol while working
Do not consume drugs, alcohol, or sedatives that make you sleepy while working. A split second can lead to a dangerous mishap that can never be repaired. If you are taking certain medications, it would be better to say goodbye to work until your physical condition returns to normal, or avoid using machines.
Keep all distractions away when using machines
Any kind of power can prove dangerous if handled incorrectly. Whatever the work tools, they must require extreme attention during operation. Hence, when working with such automatic power tools, the woodworker should be very careful, leaving aside all possible distractions such as phone calls, talking to someone, or thinking about something while operating machines.
Keep your safety tools when using electronic machines
You must be careful with your hands when working with sharpened power tools. So you should have the right gear by you to keep your hands off the overpowering electronic machines. These safety tools include miter gauges, spring boards, custom slides, push rods, push blocks, etc. These tools will help you keep your hands as far away from the rotating blades as possible and keep the workpiece where it is needed to be.
Before cutting, remove the material from the wood products
Examine manufactured wood products that may need repair before cutting or power tooling, and remove nails, screws, or other metal connectors as you cut, as the existing material can knock back on the rotating blades, damaging them and causing injury both the worker and the machine.
Turn off the power supply
Disconnect the power source by disconnecting it from the main circuit before changing blades or other attachments on the power tools you are working with. It is advisable to disconnect the plug-ins while manually installing or repairing your machines. Otherwise, it can be dangerous in the event of a malfunction in the electrical connection. Hope the above precautions can be of help to you.
