Check twice!

SAFETY: Safety means different things to different people but the bottom line is “safety is the prevention of accidents” and the procedure one follows if an accident occurs. If I start to list all safety rules we would require a large notebook and a week to read them. I have a motto “check twice / think twice” before operating a tool in your shop or planning projects. We all become complacent hence the saying “familiarity breeds contempt”.

To show how normal workshop habits can become a potential hazard I will give a personal experience as an example.

On January 12 2008 I decided to change the light in the shop that had burned out a week ago (not enough light for working, a potential hazard) so I got out my trusty step ladder (a folding portable work mate bench) and proceeded to unfold and lock the two sidebars in place. This is something I have done so many times before.

The table being 28” tall and a cross membrane to step on this seemed perfect, for changing lights, so I thought. I had successfully done this many times before so where is the problem. I got out my new light and up I stepped. As I got one side of the bulb loose I turned to move to the other side which was a piece of cake, I’m there. When I went to turn back to get a good view of the light my foot stepped on the outer edge of the bench (not a problem any other time) but I had not fully locked the bar on one side and the bench folded out from under me.This caused me to slip off and fall the 28”. I landed on my right heel and fractured the calcaneus. (Large heel bone)

This being March 24, 2008 and a operation, four screws, foot fusion, and a potential six months laid up I have had time to think about how a simple common practice can turn into an accident. I am not in the position to preach so the best I can say on shop safety is “think twice / check twice”.

I hope all your wood working is mishap free and a reminder to be wary and wise!
John

__________________
Cleaning my glasses will not make me look any better.
But will make what I am looking at better!

littlebuddha

have a motto “check twice / think twice”

Is this a motto since your accedent, it does not matter how many time you think or check, accedents happen and thats what you had.
Safety rules are to long to read today, this is not through the need that people have and cause accedents, they have been laid down to safe guard people from being sued.
To many people out there trying to make quick simple money without working for it.
Safty in understanding machines and tools and simple common sence, but accedents happen, hence the name, and they will go on.
Hope that you are over the fall, its not always the pain of the fall the shock is a bitch at times. I fell a couple of weeks back in my shop stepped over a hose line some how touched it and went tit up came down on my knees, i have tendonitis of the knees just know so was not a happy boy, crashed into a shelf of logs and through a small portable lathe, cuts to the knees lots of pain and hell of a load of black and colorfull marks, the pain i delt with but it shuke me up something wrotten, just one of those things that happen, don't need safty rules for that, just eyes in me bum elbows toes and every where eles.
I hurt that much i relised im still living. LB..

woodman42

Ouch! Hope you are doing as well as you can.
Unfortunately you can work as safe as you possibly can but things are still gonna happen. All you can do is your best at prevention, and deal with the rest when it happens.
I have found that almost all the accidents that I have had were preventable if I had slowed down a little bit. Thats where I get into trouble, I never think I have time to slow down.

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Did you say tool sale?

leejb

Shop safety is important if you want to keep all your fingers and toes
I wrote an article on my blog about shop safety. It is mostly on table saws.
Leave a comment and let me know what you think.

Lee
http://woodtamer.wordpress.com

Check twice!

Lee

I did read the article written by you on the safety of table saw guards. It was a nicely written article and like mine, is written on experiences of others or ourselves. We are all human and do become complacent especially if we are doing the same task repeated times. We become "super wood workers" and feel it can only happen to the other "Joe"..... Wrong!

How many times a work shop incident happens while we are working and we wipe our fore heads and say "that was a close one" and carry on doing the same thing, gambling it will not happen again. Lightning does not strike in the same place twice...... Right?

I just thought it would raise awarness of the common place things we do all the time that never seem to be a problem. I have found it is what we don't see coming, because "we have done it this way a thousand times" before and "no problem"..... Wrong!

I, like many other work shop jockeys have the nicks, bruises, minor cuts (if we are lucky) not counting the stiches or lose of limb and the worst of all, lose of life.

Will I make a mistake again... Yes!, Maybe with awareness it may be a nick or bruise instead of something life threatening.

"Accidents" do happen!

Hope everyone has a safe woodworking experience.
John

Ps: Lee, I found it hard to navigate your site maybe my browser.

__________________
Cleaning my glasses will not make me look any better.
But will make what I am looking at better!

Check twice!

LB
" Is this a motto since your accedent"

I always thought I did things fairly safely and "check twice" was more a motto for me so I could cut down on the cost of woodworking supplies (like the wood I turn into tooth picks). I just refined it a little for this story of my accident.

You can be sure no matter how many safety precautions are put in place I will make another mistake and an accident will happen! We are kidding ourselves if we think not.

Think safety and enjoy the beauty of the many creations we construct.

Have a gret day and a better tomorrow!
John

__________________
Cleaning my glasses will not make me look any better.
But will make what I am looking at better!

leejb

Hi John
Thank you for the compliment on the article.
There is another article that I think all the woodworkers would like, it is called "A Breed Apart". If you read it let me know what you think of it.
It is at the bottom of the page.

Lee
http://woodtamer.wordpress.com

Packrat

I started teaching wood working and cabinet making in 1972. In 1982, I was cut to half time because of a money shortage in this school district. Shop classes weren't as important as the other classes. I was then offered a job with the telephone company. After several years with the phone co. I was offered a job in another school district 12 miles from where I live. I put 14 more years in Industrial arts teaching. I also taught night classes in woodworking for 6 years. Never once did I have a student get hurt. I spent time on every machine in the shop covering safety.I had videos, slides, and work sheets . The students had to pass the safety exam on each machine with a 99% score before they could use that machine. They also had to correct any missed questions. Even in my own shop, I don't cheat on the safety rules. I have 10 grand kids that love to come work in my shop. The little ones don't use any power tools except the hand sander but they all have there own safety glasses in their own little storage area. Little ones are always watching you so you have to be on your toes and set a good example. You can never have too much safety. Don

Check twice!

Lee
I have read your article on "A Breed Apart", I found it to be "the way it is" for me at least.

My Grandfather was a cabinet maker in Northern Ontario for many years and when he moved to Southern Ontario (after WWW II) never got back into the woodworking commercialy, but had a shop set up for his use as a hobby. He did build many projects and with patience and a keen eye for detail, created many fine pieces of furniture using only hand tools.

I would spend many hours just watching and learning from him as he skillfully created another piece for a family member. I never got into woodworking commercially but have always had a shop or area I called "my space" for creating.

My Grandfather never taught me the trade, but he did teach me patience, an eye for the perfect finish and a beauty in things that my eyes could not see. The few things he did allow me to build some were pretty awful sites, he never once told me this was wrong, that was wrong, always positive comments with a suggestion of how to improve my skills, not a word on my project (he was always proud of them).

He never once told me how to create something always how to use the tools properly, he taught me what I wanted to build was"in my minds eye" I just had to look for it. Those few years I had with him (he passed when I was 14 / I am now 60) set a pattern for my whole life.

Are wood workers a breed of their own, "YES".

I have 5 children, all creative in one way or another, one of them in the world of wood. Do I tell them how to be creative in their respective world, "NO" I strive to teach them the values my Grandfather taught me.

We, as creators have the creation in our "minds eye" we just have to be shown how to find it and the proper way of using the tools to create what we see!

Through the eyes of John!
Thanks
John

__________________
Cleaning my glasses will not make me look any better.
But will make what I am looking at better!

Check twice!

Packrat
I agree we can never have too much safety!
We as logical humans do understand "accidents happen" no matter how much we try to prevent them.

I pray you have safe woodworking times with your family with never an accident. This is the perfect world.

Great safe times in your shop.
John

__________________
Cleaning my glasses will not make me look any better.
But will make what I am looking at better!

leejb

Hi john I'm glad you liked the article "A Breed Apart". I thought most of the woodworkers would like it.
My father and grandfather did not teach me woodworking. I taught myself all I know. I built campers and all the cabinets and tables that went in them. I owned the manufacturing company and my wife and I did all the work.

Lee
http://woodtamer.wordpress.com