Machine shop safety

Safety is by far the most important part of the machine shop and MUST be followed to operate any machinery

In order to operate heavy or dangerous machines, steps must be taken to avoid accidents. These include - but are not limited to -personal protective equipment (PPE), loose jewelry removal, and hair tied back.

• Personal protective equipment (PPE) is the general term for anything that you can put on/take off that ensures extra safety. These include, but are not limited to:

  • Safety glasses

  • Hard hats

  • Ear plugs

  • Gloves

Gloves are not often used, as they can get sucked into spinning machines

• Jewelry MUST be taken off before operating the mill or cold saw, as they can get sucked into the machine. This includes:

  • Loose fitting armbands

  • Necklaces & lanyards

• Noise must be regulated to avoid long term hearing damage and ensure focus on the machine, this includes:

  • Ear plugs

  • Headphones or earbuds are NEVER allowed when operating the mill or cold saw. While tempting, getting to distracted by music can lead to unnecessarily dangerous situations. Music can be played at an appropriate volume via an external source like a phone speaker.

• Other miscellaneous things that must be taken into account include:

  • long hair must be tied back

  • Closed toe shoes must be worn

  • Stress levels- If at any point you feel excessive stress before or during a task with a heavy machine, notify a mentor or student leader and stop performing your task as soon as it is safe to do so. Mood plays a bigger factor in success than many people recognize.