Woodworking Tips That Could Save Your Life

Woodworking is a rewarding hobby and a profitable profession, but it also carries inherent risks. It’s crucial to prioritize health and safety in the workplace to prevent accidents and injuries. In this work, there is an understanding of basic safety rules, including the one of always working against the cutter – all this will be reviewed in the section. These will assist in improving your safety level while using woodworking power tools.

Always Work Against the Cutter:

Always work against the cutter to prevent injuries while performing any task. This implies that the direction in which the wood passes through the tool or the tool passes across the wood should be in the reverse direction of the moving cutting head. For example, the usage of a router bit or saw blade aids in cutting ‘against’ the motion as opposed to forward with the motion. The cutter is forced into the material being cut, preventing it from sliding along with the cut stock. The same oppressive motion is used in sculpting, where controlling both the tool and the material is essential. This reduces the risk of kickbacks and improves the quality of the cut.

Refraining From Reaching Over the Blade to Remove Cut-Offs:

The most important rule when using any power tools such as a table saw or miter saw is, don’t reach over the blade to cut off or pick up any waste. This is arguably one of the most catastrophic actions you can ever perform in the workshop. Rather wait until the blade has stopped rotating completely. Once it is safe for you to do so, grab a piece of scrap wood or a push stick and nudge the cut-offs out of the path of the blade. Even when the blade has ceased motion, such switches are not foolproof or occasionally, can be bumped, hence one has to take caution and ensure that the blade has not been very close to your hand.

General Safety Rules in the Carpentry Workshop:

The instructor forbids using any machine without authorization.
The machine is Working: Please ensure the machine is powered on, and functioning properly, and all necessary protective covers are in place.

Clothes and Apron Must Be Suitable: Never wear loose or ragged clothing as well as an apron that is too large for one’s size.

Focus: Busy yourself with the task at hand and refrain from useless interactions while working with machines.

Proper Body Position: You are not allowed to slouch on the machinery when working.

Use of Protective Equipment: Always put on appropriate spectacles or goggles as may be necessary for the work at hand.

Avoid Wearing Necklaces: This means that neck chains and other ornamentation that may be entangled by the working of machines should be avoided.

Tighten Your Shoes: While at work, this should not be the case for the lacing of the shoes. They should be tight.

Remove Rings and Watches: Remove rings and wristwatches or any appendages before using the machines.

Keep the Floor Clean: It is also essential to prevent the floor from becoming too dirty and full of metals, wooden cuts, curls, and unnecessary pieces.

Seek First Aid if Necessary: get first aid immediately for all the injuries received no matter how small they appear to be.

Learn Specific Safety Rules for Each Machine: Do not expect to be spoon-fed and learn the rules for every machine from the instructor.

Power Down Properly: Do not leave the machine until the power is off and the machine is at rest.

Safe Woodworking: Essential Tips to Prevent Injuries

Observing these basic principles will help you enhance the safety of the woodworking room. Avoid reaching over a cutter to remove a cutoff and keep basic safety measures to prevent injuries. Making use of these guidelines will enable you to enjoy the activity of woodworking without having to suffer much risk.

Credit: Department of Civil Engineering
Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology