Whether for business or pleasure, metalworking is a rewarding craft capable of creating remarkable works of engineering and art. But the rejoinder to this beauty is the possibility of injuring oneself while working on a project. This guide offers more information on safety tips for working with metal.
Prevention
The most important thing to remember about safety is that prevention is paramount. This means taking the extra minute to secure your workpiece properly. It also includes remembering to put on your safety gear and taking care of your tools. Prevention plays a big role in ensuring you accomplish your work each day safely.
Safety Gear
You must wear safety gear when working with metal. Certain items help protect parts of your body, including goggles to protect the eyes, masks to cover the nose and mouth to prevent inhalation, and insulated gloves to protect from burns, frostbite, and lacerations. Remember that you should immediately remove all safety gear involved in an incident from service and replace it.
Tool Care
Taking care of your tools is essential to running a successful metalworking shop. This means understanding the maintenance of your machines as well as when to replace them. When you replace your more essential tools such as saws, presses, and lathes, being informed is crucial. Taking care of your tools makes all your projects more comfortable and safer to manage.
General Precautions
The rest of our safety tips for working with metal are about following the extra precautions everyone should take around the shop. This includes basics like knowing the lockout procedure for the equipment, never attempting to take on a large project unaided, and making sure you don’t have any loose hair or jewelry that could become entangled in the machine. Remember that it’s better to take extra time to ensure safety than to put yourself or others at risk.
