Safety: Good Habits, Bad Habits?

[LarryG]

Last night I was ripping a stack of short (between 20" to 30" long) 2x4s for a project, and suddenly became aware of two safety habits of mine -- one good, one bad.

The Good Habit: When I'm making a cut that requires a push stick or block, as all these last night did, my signal that it's time to switch to the pushing device (I use a GRRR-Ripper) is when the trailing end of the workpiece passes the front edge of the table. As soon as I see that silver table top appear, I pause and grab my GRR-Ripper, thus keeping my hands well away from the spinning blade as the last eight or ten inches of the workpiece is fed through it.

The Bad Habit: I really ought to use a featherboard for cuts like these, but more often than not, I don't. Last night was one of those times when I didn't. My crime was especially grevious since I had about 25 pieces to cut, so the time spent to rig a featherboard would have been divided over that many cuts.

So how about you? What's a good safety habit that you have developed? And a bad one?

[Tom Miller]

Larry, your "bad habit" has been kind of an on-going battle for me, too. Since I don't have a MST, and I'm reluctant to apply side pressure to my SMT, I don't have the usual quick setup options for lateral featherboards. But, I've got a few ideas I'm kicking around to make featherboards quick and easy to install.

But, back on topic --

Good habit: I unplug my BT3 before I even start removing the throat plate screws to change a blade.

Bad habit: Not always putting on the dust mask/respirator when I should; especially when I think I'm just going to do a few strokes with the sandpaper, and it always turns out to be more.

Regards,
Tom

[Ed62]

Bad habit: What's a dust mask?

Good habit: I always unplug both plugs and lower the blade on my BT3K when finished. My worst fear is that a little kid will turn it on.

[Luckbox]

Good Habit: same use the puch block or stick, I have one I use nearly all the time and one for when ripping thin stock. I almost always use a feather board.

Bad Habit: Rarely ever use the blade guard. Splitter is always on.

[Jeffrey Schronce]

Good : I will normally use blade guard, splitter and prawls.

Bad : 50/50 on eye and ear protection. 50% utilization of dust mask on high dust and 25% on low dust applications.

[thestinker]

Good: Always use a push stick, almost always use a feather board, and almost always eye protection. I also limit distractions such as other people in the shop whie I'm working.

The bad: No guard, no spliter, no ear protection and no dust mask. I need to pop the stock guard off the riving knife and re attach it.

[jackellis]

Good: Splitter, guard, hearing and eye protection, push sticks, sometimes use a featherboard. Unplug saw when working on it or leaving it for the night.

Bad: Cheap or no dust mask.

[WoodButcher26]

Good: Unplug saw from side outlet immediately after completing a cut. Always wear "ears and eyes". Always use push sticks.

Bad: Still trying to find a dust mask that works well.

[ChrisD]

Good: Using push sticks and featherboards; keeping the stock blade guard on for through cuts; wearing hearing protection, goggles, and dusk mask. Yeah, I'm a good boy.

Bad: Bare hands most of the time at the bandsaw.

[wardprobst]

Good- hearing protection, Trend Air Shield, Oneida dust collector, Shark Guard, push sticks, featherboards, etc.
Bad- impatience- to big a hurry to use the safety stuff I have and a bit careless with very sharp hand tools especially Japanese saws and chisels.
DP

[cabinetman]

Good habits: Only work when my mind is on work (so I don't work too much), securing things that can spin, fly, jump, twist, slide (sounds like a song), and push sticks, no frayed cords, and coffee. Waterbased stuff.

Bad habits: Good habits that went bad, stuff on the floor for me to hopscotch over, leaving the coffee cup next to the work (makes a cool stain though, kinda like wood de la cafe), leaving tools out so I can find them (if I put them away, I forget where to look).



"I'M NEVER WRONG - BUT I'M NOT ALWAYS RIGHT"

[jseklund]

Hmmmm.....

Good Habits- I always use a respirator and ear protection. I always use push-sticks, always have the blade guard on, always stand clear of the board, never have my hand giving pressure perpendicular to the blade (stop with perpendicular pressure before my hand gets near the plane of the blade).

Bad Habits- I don't take the time to read books on how to properly use every tool like I should. My eye protection is 90%. I need to get a better pair and they fog up, I tend to take them off and sometimes forget to put them back on. I could also use a lot more patience (I ruin more wood because I don't take the time to setup properly or plan), I could use a little more knowledge of when to stop when I'm becoming frustrated (this goes with patience and I am learning about both). I only clean up the shop about 95% of the time when I'm done. I try to use my wet/dry vac as a dust collector and if there isn't much dust around I leave it (fire hazzard). And more of a router bad habit, but I've noticed when using routers, sanders, etc- I tend to check my work as soon as I pull the tool away and forget to shut it off. Big mistake. I got myself with the orbital sander like this once....trying to break this one. Actually, I'm trying to break all the bad habits....

[Wood_workur]

Good: use eyeprotection + hearing protection all the time

Bad: haven't used my blade guard in ages. Splitter, yes, but no blade guard.

[cwsmith]

Good habits: Always plan ahead, I'm sort of a "what-if" planner and probably spend an excessive amount of time planning everything out. I also have a bit of trepidation whenever I use a circular-type cutting tool, so "thinking through" an operation is essential for me, and I realize that when I'm tired or have a headache, I don't think very well... so, I don't go near the power tools.

I wear glasses and my only "work" or "close-up" glasses are industrial safety, so eye-protection is always there. (Heck, I have to wear them even when I'm on the computer.) I do hate those side-shields though. My other good habit is that I always unplug when accessing the cutters and at the end of a work period; and, I lock-up the "keys" when not working.

Unfortunately, my bad habits are neglecting to use a dust mast unless I'm planning on doing a lot of cutting, and I rarely wear protective gloves when using paint, varnishes, etc. I do use them when using strippers though.

CWS

[Pappy]

What's a GOOD habit???????