Shop Safety setup...

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  • dbhost
    Slow and steady
    • Apr 2008
    • 9209
    • League City, Texas
    • Ryobi BT3100

    Shop Safety setup...

    I am just wondering, what you guys and gals are doing for setting up your shop safety wise. Mostly I am wondering if I am a paranoid lunatic or not... For example, my shop is set up with...

    #1. Big Sams Club industrial first aid kit. The kind meant for professional shops with all sorts of first aid stuff. I have it attached to the shop side of the door between the shop and the house.
    #2. Kidde 3A 40BC fire extinguishers (2) currently moving place to place, trying to figure out the best location for them.
    #3. First Alert Escape Light Smoke Detector / alarm.
    #4. First Alert battery operated CO alarm.
    #5. Shop Broom. No joke, keeping the shop clean, makes for a safer work environment.
    #6. LOTS of shop lighting. Knowing where my fingers are in relation to blades is kind of important right?
    #7. Dust masks, respirators, chemical gloves, latex gloves, leather work gloves, carpenters apron, chemical goggles, face shield, and ear muffs. Summarized as Personal Protective Equipment, or PPE.
    #8. Sawdust Collection system / shop vac setup.
    #9. Air Cleaner setup. (Filtrete filter duct taped to a box fan...).
    #10. GFCI on all circuits feeding into the garage.

    What are you folks using? Am I over the top here?
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  • MikeMcCoy
    Senior Member
    • Nov 2004
    • 790
    • Moncks Corner, SC, USA.
    • Delta Contractor Saw

    #2
    I have pretty much the same setup as you.

    For gloves - I do quite a bit of carving and when I remember them, I wear them. Unfortunately not enough. Because of that I also keep plenty of band aides in the carving knife roll.

    Cotton gloves to handle rough stock but again. I don't usually think about them till I get splinters. As a result, I keep a pair of tweezers handy.

    Face shield always when using the lathe .. That's a relatively recent habit after catching a 6" bowl blank with my nose.

    3 fire extinguishers with two of those mounted by the exits since they won't do much good if I can't get to them.

    Comment

    • SawDog
      Forum Newbie
      • Sep 2008
      • 37
      • Pennsylvania
      • BT3000

      #3
      I agree with all of the above! In addition, I have regular incandescent lights above the power equipment, to supplement the fluorescent lights that handle 99 percent of the illumination. Why? Due to the "strobe effect" that can cause rotation objects to appear stationary.

      Of course, the effect is pretty much eliminated by using paired lights off the same ballast, and besides, I'm not *that* deaf yet - I can usually hear the lathe or the TS. But I still leave the light bulbs on.

      And you thought *you* were "over the top"!

      More info here, in case you're interested:


      Hal

      Comment

      • dbhost
        Slow and steady
        • Apr 2008
        • 9209
        • League City, Texas
        • Ryobi BT3100

        #4
        The 60 cycle flicker effect is something I thought was specific to those with a specific, and somewhat rare visual issue. I do keep incandescent task lighting handy, and I DESPISE LED traffic lighting for that reason. I can see the flicker for MILES away coming down a long straight country road.

        I think I may be more prone to using gloves than many. But I have hacked my fingers up on enough stuff, I even have a good pair of Mechanix gloves for when I get stupid and want to work on hot engines...

        I have to wear eyeglasses to see right, so I use a face shield. I know they say they are not eye protection like safety glasses are. But after discussing the issue at length with my opthamologist, and our OSHA rep, this is what seems to be my best alternative next to getting prescription safety glasses, which is not going to happen any time soon...

        One thing I am wanting to do, and I have posted here about it, is coat the garage floor with a good, skid resistant coating. The concrete can sweat a bit, and make for slippery footing when I don't have an A/C or dehumidifier in there...

        I would also consider just about any sort of shop organization to be safety related. If you saw how my lumber is stored it would scare you...
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        Comment

        • LCHIEN
          Internet Fact Checker
          • Dec 2002
          • 20914
          • Katy, TX, USA.
          • BT3000 vintage 1999

          #5
          Regarding Flourescent strobing:

          First of all, Fluorecent lights actually light twice per cycle, one on each voltage peak (one negative, one positive), they are not polarity dependent. So the flicker rate is 120 Hz, not 60 Hz. For this reason, lighting half your Fluorescents from one leg of your 220 and the other hlf from the other leg will not work to eliminate strobing - they will still be in synchronism at 120 Hz. I have seen this misconception stated several times.

          Second, although shop machinery with induction motors allegedly runs at a nominal 3600 RPM, or 1800 RPM (which is exactly 30 Hz and 60 Hz), in practice the machinery will never appear to be standing still in flourescents. There is always some "slip" and this causes them to run somewhat slower, like 3450 RPM or 1725 RPM. Under a strobe of 60 ro 120 Hz, they will appear to be running at 100 RPM or so, slow but easily detectable as running. Equipment with belt-driven pulleys aor universal motors has almost no chance of being in "synch" with the line frequency and is not a problem either.

          Finally, virtually everyone should be able to see the strobe effect or fluorecent lighting. It's not a visual rarity.
          Last edited by LCHIEN; 09-25-2008, 05:41 PM.
          Loring in Katy, TX USA
          If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
          BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questions

          Comment

          • herb fellows
            Veteran Member
            • Apr 2007
            • 1867
            • New York City
            • bt3100

            #6
            I just keep a roll of duct tape handy. works as a bandage, clamp, third hand, etc. :-)
            You don't need a parachute to skydive, you only need a parachute to skydive twice.

            Comment

            • BobSch
              • Aug 2004
              • 4385
              • Minneapolis, MN, USA.
              • BT3100

              #7
              Originally posted by LCHIEN
              Regarding Flourescent strobing:

              First of all, Fluorecent lights actually light twice per cycle, one on each voltage peak (one negative, one positive), they are not polarity dependent. So the flicker rate is 120 Hz, not 60 Hz.
              Just nother reason to have you shop wired for three-phase. right?
              Bob

              Bad decisions make good stories.

              Comment

              • Tom Slick
                Veteran Member
                • May 2005
                • 2913
                • Paso Robles, Calif, USA.
                • sears BT3 clone

                #8
                you sound like you are ready for an OSHA inspection.

                always keep trip hazards in mind. loops in cords and hoses or piles of junk like to reach out and snag your foot at the most in opportune times.

                electronic ballast don't seem to strobe as much as the old magnetic types.
                Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work. - Thomas Edison

                Comment

                • Tom Slick
                  Veteran Member
                  • May 2005
                  • 2913
                  • Paso Robles, Calif, USA.
                  • sears BT3 clone

                  #9
                  Originally posted by BobSch
                  Just nother reason to have you shop wired for three-phase. right?
                  even with three phase you only use 1 phase, just the voltage changes, either 120v or 277v.
                  Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work. - Thomas Edison

                  Comment

                  • dbhost
                    Slow and steady
                    • Apr 2008
                    • 9209
                    • League City, Texas
                    • Ryobi BT3100

                    #10
                    Originally posted by Tom Slick
                    you sound like you are ready for an OSHA inspection.

                    always keep trip hazards in mind. loops in cords and hoses or piles of junk like to reach out and snag your foot at the most in opportune times.

                    electronic ballast don't seem to strobe as much as the old magnetic types.
                    I know all about that. I am still trying to figure out how to get the rest of the shop wired so I don't have to run extension cords, and of course... A lumber cart is something I simply HAVE to build...

                    But first. Window boards from Hurricane Ike need to go back in place, and the fence needs work...
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                    Comment

                    • billfrommich
                      Forum Newbie
                      • Jan 2007
                      • 74

                      #11
                      Originally posted by LCHIEN
                      Regarding Flourescent strobing:

                      First of all, Fluorecent lights actually light twice per cycle, one on each voltage peak (one negative, one positive), they are not polarity dependent. So the flicker rate is 120 Hz, not 60 Hz. For this reason, lighting half your Fluorescents from one leg of your 220 and the other hlf from the other leg will not work to eliminate strobing - they will still be in synchronism at 120 Hz. I have seen this misconception stated several times.



                      Second, although shop machinery with induction motors allegedly runs at a nominal 3600 RPM, or 1800 RPM (which is exactly 30 Hz and 60 Hz), in practice the machinery will never appear to be standing still in flourescents. There is always some "slip" and this causes them to run somewhat slower, like 3450 RPM or 1725 RPM. Under a strobe of 60 ro 120 Hz, they will appear to be running at 100 RPM or so, slow but easily detectable as running. Equipment with belt-driven pulleys aor universal motors has almost no chance of being in "synch" with the line frequency and is not a problem either.

                      Finally, virtually everyone should be able to see the strobe effect or fluorecent lighting. It's not a visual rarity.
                      The wiki post provided above by Sawdog claims that fluorescent lights start to increasingly behave like rectifiers towards the end of their life, in which case it might be of some benefit to operate bulbs off opposite phases.

                      When considering the possibility of strobing, I think you also have to consider the number of teeth on the saw blade. For, example, if my math is correct, in 1/60 of a second, a blade turning at 3600 RPM will make one complete revolution. If slip reduces the speed to 3450 RPM, then in 1/60 of a second it will make 3450/3600 or 23/24 of a revolution. If the blade happens to have 24 teeth (such as some ripsaw blades) it will appear stationary, at least if one keys in on the teeth (which I'm guessing most of us would).
                      Last edited by billfrommich; 09-25-2008, 09:40 PM. Reason: spelling correction

                      Comment

                      • dbhost
                        Slow and steady
                        • Apr 2008
                        • 9209
                        • League City, Texas
                        • Ryobi BT3100

                        #12
                        Originally posted by LCHIEN
                        ,,,
                        Finally, virtually everyone should be able to see the strobe effect or fluorecent lighting. It's not a visual rarity.
                        That is a bit of a relief. You would be amazed though, how many people tell me they cannot see it. Flourescent aand LED flicker is so pronounced to me as to be seriously annoying. Neither LOML, or my mistake could see it. Come to think of it, every person that has told me that they cannot see it is female... I wonder if that is somehow a gender thing? Not being mean, just wondering about the science behind it all...
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                        Comment

                        • ksum
                          Forum Newbie
                          • Jan 2007
                          • 69

                          #13
                          I keep pairs of safety glasses in many locations around the shop. That way, if I walk in and go to do something, they are close at hand. I have a habit of taking them off when measuring, and doing other things that I believe do not need the glasses. Multiple pairs keep them handy.

                          I wear perscription glasses too, which is why I take off the over my glasses safety glasses. Earpiece buildup. Eventually there wil be a pair of safety perscription glasses, so the multiple pairs around will be for visitors.

                          Karl

                          Comment

                          • drumpriest
                            Veteran Member
                            • Feb 2004
                            • 3338
                            • Pittsburgh, Pa, USA.
                            • Powermatic PM 2000

                            #14
                            I can see the flicker, and it drives me NUTS. The combo of a 60hz monitor and florescent lights were the worst nightmare ever, I can never understand how people could handle that. I have always kept an incandescent light right beside the monitor, and my old CRT was running at 100hz. LCD panel displays seem less of an issue to me.

                            As to safety, I'm not as well equipped as I should be. I do have a fire extinguisher in there, but that's about it. I have some medical tape and clean towels in there also, but it's not far to the bathroom from the shop. If anything really bad happens, that's where I'll head.

                            Dust collector + shop vac + ambient air cleaner, lots and lots of lights, brooms and dustpan, all required. I try to keep the shop fairly clean, as it's attached to the house. Most importantly, riving knife on my table saw! I also have my 220v stuff wired through a double pole switch, so I have no power to it when I'm not working in the shop. The 110v stuff doesn't power the big tools anyway.
                            Keith Z. Leonard
                            Go Steelers!

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