Workshop Safety

1
Workshop Safety
Lee McNeil, mentor of the Skagit Valley (WA)
SeaTech 4-H ROV teams, developed the following
placards, which he attaches to the tools in his
ROV workshop. These placards provide operating
instructions as well as note (in red) safety
concerns. (Thanks, Lee, for sharing your best
practices with the ROV education community!)
2

• Drill Press
• Are you wearing safety glasses?
• Tie back long hair, (shoulder length or longer),
  loose clothing, etc.
• Clamp work piece to table.
• Check chuck for tightness on bit.
• Remove chuck key from spindle.
• Tighten table lock to column.
• Turn on work light.
• Clear work area of others before turning on drill
  press motor.
• Warning Never reach into work piece while drill
  is running.
• Please Replace the bit after use!

3

• Disk Sander
• Are you wearing safety glasses?
• Tie back long hair, (shoulder length or longer),
  loose clothing, etc.
• Check table for squareness to disk.
• Check gap between table and disk, (Caution a
  leader must adjust gap)
• Do not sand any flat work piece less than 1/8
  thick on this sander.
• Clear work area of others before turning on disk
  sander motor.
• Warning Never brush off table while disk is
  turning.
• Always work on left side of disk.

4

• Scroll Saw
• Are you wearing safety glasses?
• Tie back long hair, (shoulder length or longer),
  loose clothing, etc.
• Adjust hold-down to prevent work piece chatter.
• Check saw blade clamps are snug.
• Tighten table lock.
• Turn on work light.
• Check that sanding disk is clear.
• Clear work area of others before turning on
  scroll saw motor.
• Set speed to appropriate level for material,
  (slower for metals).

5

• Drum Sander
• Are you wearing safety glasses?
• Tie back long hair, (shoulder length or longer),
  loose clothing, etc.
• Install correct drum dia. for the work, (Caution
  Dia. should not be more than 60 of bore size on
  inside tubes).
• Check drum tightness on spindle.
• Select appropriate insert washer for drum,
  (closest size to drum diameter).
• Clear work area of others before turning on drum
  sander motor.
• Check that drum sander unit is centered on the
  stand, (it moves).

6

• Lathe
• Are you wearing safety glasses?
• Tie back long hair, (shoulder length or longer),
  loose clothing, etc.
• Check chuck for tightness on piece, (use 6-jaw
  for thin pieces).
• Remove chuck key from spindle!
• Check clearance between chuck and cross-feed
  through complete travel.
• Back tool holder away from piece.
• Clear work area of others before turning on lathe
  motor.
• Warning Never reach into work piece while
  spindle is turning.

7

• Vertical Band Saw
• Are you wearing safety glasses?
• Tie back long hair, (shoulder length or longer),
  loose clothing, etc.
• You must have a leader present.
• Ensure blade is correct for material.
• Set blade guide / guard to within .10 of top of
  work piece.
• Check blade guide / guard is locked.
• Clear work area of others before turning on band
  saw motor.
• Warning Never place hands / fingers in path of
  blade.
• Use push blocks!

8

• Metal Band Saw
• Are you wearing safety glasses?
• Tie back long hair, (shoulder length or longer),
  loose clothing, etc.
• Clamp work piece snuggly.
• Set blade guide / guard to within an inch of work
  piece clamp.
• Check blade guide / guard is locked.
• Lift blade off of work piece.
• Ensure feed force is correct for piece.
• Clear work area of others before turning on band
  saw motor.
• Warning Keep hands / fingers away from blade
  area.

9

• Table Saw
• Are you wearing safety glasses?
• Tie back long hair, (shoulder length or longer),
  loose clothing, etc.
• You must have a leader present.
• Check blade height and angle.
• Lock blade carriage.
• Use fence or cross feed appropriately.
• Clear work area of others before turning on table
  saw motor.
• Warning Never reach into work piece while saw
  is running!
• Please Place blade to vertical, and cross feed
  to perpendicular after use!

10

• Router Table
• Are you wearing safety glasses?
• Tie back long hair, (shoulder length or longer),
  loose clothing, etc.
• You must have a leader present.
• Adjust bit height for correct cut.
• Check chuck for tightness on bit.
• Set fence clearance to bit to smallest.
• Ensure correct operation of bit guard.
• Check table placement on work table.
• Clear work area of others before turning on
  router motor.
• Warning Keep fingers on opposite side of work
  piece from bit.

11

• Radial Arm Saw
• IMPORTANT Under no circumstances should a
  student ever use this tool, (the blade is
  entirely above the table, and if jammed, will
  come towards the operator).
• If you assist a leader you should
• Wear safety glasses.
• Wear hearing protection.
• Stand behind and to the left of the operator when
  facing the saw.
• Keep the floor and work area clear of other
  students and materials.