11 Safety
Strangers entering a metal workshop are often amazed that there are so few accidents involving personal injury.
It would seem that in a busy workshop the stage is set for a drama in which all sorts of dreadful accidents will occur from decapitation to being burnt alive!
The vigilance and good common sense of our handicraft masters, in no small measure, make the workshop a safe place in which to work.
However, here is some general information for the prevention of accidents.
Clothing. When starting to work take off your jacket; roll up your sleeves and tuck your tie into your shirt so that it does not hang loose. Wear either an overall or an apron which should not be loose fitting. In the forge area wear a leather apron if one is available. Wear shoes with stout soles. Do not wear gym shoes: a sharp piece of bent metal on the floor can easily pierce these, or a hot piece of coke from the forge can burn through them.
Hair. Beware of hair that is too long. This can easily be caught up on a drilling machine or on the end of the horizontal milling machine arbor.
Oil or Grease on the Floor. If any oil or grease gets on the floor see that it is cleaned away and if possible put sawdust down to prevent people from slipping.
Never Run in the Workshop. Walk wherever you go and if you are carrying a tool or a piece of metal, have proper regard for anyone who might accidentally step into your path.
Safety Stop Switches. School workshops are usually fitted with these to enable anyone to stop all the machinery in case of emergency. You should know where these are in your workshop and how and when to use them.
Fire Blanket. This is often kept in a red cylindrical container hung on a wall, usually by the brazing hearth or forge area. Should anyone's clothing catch fire this asbestos blanket is used for the purpose of smothering the flames.
Acids. When putting hot work into dilute sulphuric acid (pickle) do it at arm's length to avoid being splashed and don't drop the work in. Avoid inhaling the fumes as far as possible. Acids are best kept near a water tap so that if anyone is splashed they can quickly wash away the acid.
Electrical Faults. If you suspect that any machine is electrically faulty report it at once to the master in charge of the workshop.
Blacksmithing. Do not leave hot work where anyone might stand on or touch it. Beware of hot scale when hammering white hot metal.
TOOLS
Hammers. Report loose hammer heads to your teacher. Never strike two hammer heads together because it might cause a splinter of steel to fly off one of them.
Files. Always use a file with a properly fitting handle.
Cold Chisels. Take care when cutting through metal on a chipping block because often this causes the small pieces you are cutdng off to be shot away at great speed. To prevent this stand up another chipping block or something similar in the path of these flying pieces. Report to your teacher any undue mushrooming of the chisel top.
Bench Shears. If you are guiding the metal into the bench shear be sure that it is your hand that is operating the handle. Do not let someone pull the handle down while your fingers are near the blades. The handle itself is in fact as dangerous as the cutter, so keep clear when metal is being cut.
MACHINE TOOLS
Do not talk to, or otherwise distract, a person who is using a machine tool.
If you leave a machine, switch it off.
Drilling Machine. When using this machine be sure the work is properly held in a vice and also be sure that there is a bolt or something similar to prevent the work and the vice from spinning round should the drill get caught. Never hold small work in your fingers.
Lathe. Make sure the work is firmly held in the chuck before starting the machine. Never leave the chuck key in the lathe chuck. Do not open the guard which covers the gear trains at the end of the machine unless the isolating switch is off. Never try to remove swarf whilst the machine is in motion. Remember the swarf nearly always has razor-like edges and it is often hot. Do not try to use your hands as a brake on the chuck. Never try to clean or polish work with a rag whilst the machine is revolving. When brushing the lathe down after work beware of the sharp tool.
Shaper. Do not bring your eye down level with the work being cut and in line with the ram. The chips are flicked away at the end of the cut and can cause eye injury. If you want to see how near to the line you are cutting, stop the machine. When setting up work be sure the isolator switch is off.
Milling Machine. Keep your hands away from the cutter when it is in motion. Do not remove any guard which has been fitted to the machine for your safety. Switch off the isolator when setting up work. Never try to apply soluble oil to the work with a brush when the cutter is revolving. Do not sweep the table with your hand because milling chips are often like needles.
Grinding Machine. Always use the eye guard or goggles. Be sure the gap between the rest and the wheel is not more than about 3/32 ". If this is not so, small work can be dragged down into the gap.
Power Hacksaw. Do not press down on the top weight in order to speed the cutting. This often causes the blade to break and the sharp fragments shoot in all directions. Be sure there is enough metal for the vice to hold, otherwise it might be wrenched out when the machine is set in motion, thus causing the blade to break.
