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Safety with Power ToolsApr 15 '00 Write an essay on this topic.My wife the opinions writer, asked me to write something on tool safety because she knows I believe very strongly in this subject. I am known for going off on wild rants when hearing about accidents that should not and would not have occurred had proper safety precautions been in place. In my younger days, I worked in heavy industry for thirteen years in a steel mill where we wore steel-toed shoes. Those clodhoppers saved me from potentially dangerous accidents many times. Of course, they were mandatory as per safety directives and I am so glad that they were as I was only nineteen and not experienced at all. Hard hats also had to be worn. I was fortunate to come out okay there, but some say I could have been hurt, permanently maimed or killed working there. In the strip steel division, we handled rolled steel from 007 gauge to 090 gauge. Our job entailed testing every fifth rolled coil. We sheared off every thirty to fifty feet of those test coils using very large manual shears or electric shears. The company mandated the use of gloves to protect our hands and arms. We wore thick leather protective gloves, mid-forearm length with chain metal studs throughout. I never once was cut. I put in another thirty years working for a major airline in their overhaul shops and on their flight lines. Often, I worked sixty to seventy hours per week. Thank God, I can say I never sustained an injury in all those years. However, one story I want to relate is of a co-worker in the sheet metal department. When using a grinding wheel, he lost an eye. Why? No goggles! I can hear you thinking that the accident happened on the job and does not apply to the home use of power tools. Why I tell this story is that a few years later, I had occasion to meet his son when I sold him a used car. Junior had also lost an eye to a grinding wheel spark at home. What a sad coincidence for the same accident to happen in one family. What a tragedy that either one of these had to happen when there are so many goggles, face masks and plastic safety glasses available. Sawing, drilling, grinding and even hammering can produce sparks or splinters. Since I now wear bifocals when I do get new glasses, I get a second pair composed of tinted plastic available with removable sidepieces. Maybe because I need them to see close work or maybe I learned from other people’s mistakes; I never work around my garage workbench or any other manual or power driven tools without wearing my safety glasses. Another thing I have learned is to not rush and to always unplug electrical tools when I am finished using them. There is one accident that I see happening with alarming frequency. When using a drill press or a drill motor to drill through a wood or metal surface, do not have a carpet on your bench or on your floor. Carpet or fabric grabs the speeding drill bit so quickly – you become wound up in a split second. This warning also includes long hair and loose clothing. Believe me, I see so many injuries occur that way. Safety guards on your circular saws and weed trimmers surely help but goggles are needed too and are cheap to own. When you consider the consequences, a few dollars and some advance care can save you from serious permanent injury or worse. Steel-toed shoes are not only for industry. If you use a power driven lawn mower, one trip or stumble and you can lose toes or worse. Any store or catalogue that sells work shoes has them. Consider the amount of money spent on hand tools, power tools, lawn and garden tools. For a few dollars more, you will own the necessary safety devices that serve to protect you when properly used. Make putting on the appropriate goggles, shoes or whatever the job requires the first step before collecting the other tools necessary for the job at hand. It is only common sense. Think safety when sizing up your job, it only takes a moment. I have seen so many accidents that did not need to happen. Those nagging, nuisance jobs around the house that you want to just get out of the way may only take a minute or two of your time. Without the proper safety precautions, you may end up dreading the day you finally got around to that task. So in closing, I say, do not rush unnecessarily, wear safety equipment and respect your power tools. Signed, a very lucky guy or a safety oriented one. I will answer to both.  |
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