If your work in the CPAC involves using the Scene Shop, you will be responsible for the information in this section. A. General Shop Safety Use only tools that you have been checked out on. Ask your supervisor for a lesson before using an alien piece of equipment; seeing someone else use it is not an adequate training method.
Clear the Area. The table surface should be clear and especially the area around your feet. Do not stand on scrap wood or work in cramped areas; give yourself lots of elbow room. You should have nothing blocking your light.
Wear proper safety equipment. What you should and must wear differs from material to material or from tool to tool. Learn the appropriate attire for each, protection of your eyes is a must. Ear protection is required for most machines; periods of short and long exposure to noise has an accumulated effect and working around loud machines will eventually damage your hearing. Check the lumber. We reuse lumber, so nails, staples or even screws may be hidden below the surface of every board you pick up in the shop. Check what you are cutting before you cut. Do not cut through staples or nails as they will not only endanger yourself and those around you, they will also damage blades and equipment. Observe safety zones. The power tools are very good at cutting, sanding and boring holes but they are also fairly efficient at injuring you. Keep your fingers and other body parts away from the moving parts of the equipment. In addition to the personal safety zones some tools have a working area that you should not cross through when someone else is using the tool. The table saw, for example, needs a lot of room in front of and behind to accommodate long materials feeding through it; do not walk through this zone when someone else is ripping material.
Reset the area after you have finished. Return the tool back to its default position when finished. If you have erected fixtures or used jigs such as stop blocks or more elaborate setups involving clamps etc, remove these from the tool area. Return safety items such as push sticks to their home position. Clear the tool area of debris such as cutoffs and dust. Return unused materials and tools to the proper storage area.
B. Specific Tool Safety
Table Saw
Personal Safety Items: Eye protection, ear protection, possibly a dust mask Material best suited for: Ripping Wood products only.
Unless you are using a special set-up, the guard must always be in place If you must change the blade contact the shop foreman.
Band Saw
Personal safety items: eye and ear protection, possibly a dust mask. Material best suited for: In our shop the band saw primarily cuts wood and plastics; in other shops they are also used to cut metal as well as wood depending on the blade.
If you must change the blade, contact shop foreman.
Panel Saw
Personal safety equipment: eye and ear protection, possibly a dust mask. Material best suited for: Use only with wood and reconstituted wood panels
Slide Compound Saw
Personal safety equipment: eye and ear protection, possibly a dust mask Material best suited for: only wood and reconstituted wood products, can also be used with some plastics including Styrofoam.
When finished with this saw relock it into its home position: 0 deg, non-sliding, teeth below the kerf plate. Be sure to lock the sliding mechanism.
Metal Chop Saw
Personal safety equipment: faceshield, ear protection, long sleeves and gloves. Material best suited for: Use only with metal forms. Use only outside.
Horizontal / Vertical Band Saw
Personal safety equipment: eye and ear protection. Material best suited for: Use only with metal forms.
July 4, 2024
July 10, 2024
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