Specific Rules of Thumb for Shop Safety!

Protect your lungs- Sand blasting in a cabinet still emits micro particles, operating a belt sander, orbital sander - pretty much any activity that removes material in dust form

Similar advice for your eyes- safety glasses may not be enough with dealing with airborne paint etc, especially for contact users.

Protect your eyes- I had to visit the optometrist myself last year because of a bad reaction to epoxy based spray paint. I wore regular safety glasses and a p95 filtering face piece. Apparently, it isn't a good idea to paint with contacts on. The doctor said I had microscopic material or solvents affix itself to the contacts which caused my eyes to turn crimson. He gave me antibiotic steroid drops and said it should be better in a few days. I have used diving goggles when I have previously painted hazardous materials- didn't worry about common epoxy spray paint from Home Depot.

My daughter is a fan of the walking dead and said I looked like a creature from the show.

Per my doctor: DON'T use airborne paints with contacts.
 
I have noticed that when doing a small electrical job (wiring, replacing a fuse, repairing something) people usually do not take off their rings & watches. BAD IDEA!!!

I have a 30 year old, 1 1/2" diameter, scar on my wrist that reminds me of how bad of a practice that is.
It is amazing how fast 12 volts can make a watch band luminous and give you a 3rd degree burn. Just think what 120, 240, or 440 volts could do. :whiteflag:


rings watches etc are best left in a safe place and that is not on your fingers or wrist! I loose these to a safe repository first thing in the morning when I get to work.
 
Pay attention
Safety rules were meant for people even smarter than YOU.
Don't mess with machines if you are very tired. Take a break!
 
I have written some number of safety thoughts here . Most important, but not mentioned here, is the repeated question,What could go wrong?...BLJHB.
 
In motorcycling, some have the motto ATGATT (All The Gear, All The Time). That's how I am around machine tools: always wearing safety glasses, hearing protection even at moderately loud levels of sound, no hand tools or other loose items on the machine's work area, short sleeves, tucked shirt, no danglies.
 
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