Carpentry Safety Precautions

Carpentry Safety Precautions General Precautions 1. Tools should have regular maintenance 2. Inspect all equipment before using. 3. Keep all equipment in good repair. 4. Do not remove safety shields/devices. 5. Wear/use approved protective equipment at all times. 6. Remove rings, watches and loose clothing; suitably confine long hair. 7. Inspect work area for unsafe conditions, and remedy before beginning work. Hand Tools Precautions 1. Keep all hand tools clean, sharp and in good repair 2. Use all hand tools for the purpose for which they were intended. 3. Do not carry sharp/pointed objects in pockets. Power Tools Precautions 1. Make all adjustments and tighten all locking devices before attaching tool to power supply. 2. Make sure tool is switched off before connecting to power supply. 3. Operate all tools with all safety guards in place. 4. Maintain appropriate safety margin between cutting edge and hands. 5. Keep blades/bits, etc. sharp. 6. Never yank the cord or the hose to disconnect it from the receptacle. 8. Disconnect tools when not using them, before servicing and cleaning them, and when changing accessories such as blades, bits, and cutters. 9. Secure work with clamps or a vise, freeing both hands to operate the tool. 10. One of the important factors in achieving safe, satisfactory use of explosive-actuated fastening systems is operator training. Only trained and competent operators shall use explosive- actuated tools. Accident Causes in Carpentry Industry(2008-09) 5% 5% 14% 19% 6% 5% 17% 2% 27% Hit something fixed or stationary: 5% Handling (other): 5% Contact with moving machinery: 19% O Fall from height: 6% Hit by moving/falling object: 17% Slip or trip: 14% Handling (manual handling): 27% O Other: 5% Hit by moving vehicle: 2% Chris Lowe Carpentry Ltd www.chrislowecarpentry.co.uk