The keys?
Think through a cut. Know where both hands are going before you turn the machine on. If in doubt, rethink the operation.
Fear of a machine gets people hurt. Respect of a machine keeps people safe. Know the difference to be safe.
Work safe!
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I don't see that as helpful. A 14 year old kid who lost most of his hand suffers from ignorance perhaps, but I doubt that he was stupid. From the OP on the fingers being lost, the kid ignored the blade height instructions, but it's not clear if he removed the guard against shop rules.
Regardless, it's a 14 year old kid. The age of rebelliousness and invulnerability. If shop teachers don't know about that age, they shouldn't be teaching. The onus is on the teacher to teach - safety, procedures, and consequences.
And after the kids are taught that, if they can't accept what rules come out of the procedures, it's up to a shop teacher to get that kid out of his shop.
I see that as much more of a school/teacher responsibility than that of the kid. In essence, the kid had the accident because either the school shop had no rules, or the teacher didn't enforce them.
Thanks for all the stories. I read them all and categorized them by machine. I printed them out and have a full binder of lots and lots of stories now.
The site
I hope everyone learns that all tools are dangerous if not used with respect and care. I continue to add new stories to my binder when I recieve them.
Thanks,
Kieran
For table saws too there is a site
It's an amazing product, looks like it would protect your fingers if you accidentally came in contact with the blade.
"k" wrote
On my web site is a list that Kieran might like to add to the others.
From the menu, please select Circular Sawbench Accidents.
Apologies for the erratic formatting.
Jeff
Are you sure that you don't tell them "Safety first speed later?"
Sorry, I couldn't help myself.
Where do you teach Wood Shop? I, also am a Wood Shop Teacher in TX, although I did start teaching in CO
Another kid in my shop class was working on the lathe and his long sleeve sweater got caught. Lucky for him the sweater was ripped completely off his body and all he got were brush burns from the fabric. That sweater hung over the doorway for the rest of the school year. Happened so fast nobody could even think about hitting the red button.
Sticking your hand where it'll get shredded by big sharp spinning metal things is more than ignorance.
Had somebody immediately hit the red button, it would probably have been too late because the intertia of the motor would have kept it turning for several revs, though with less power.
I believe that the safest motors are those into which a current is injected to stop the machine more or less instantaneously.
Red buttons are useful if things are flying off a machine, or it is on fire!
Jeff
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