Shop Safety

[MiKro]

So here I am working away, a nice day and the Garage door is open. AHHHHHHH!!! The neighbor spies you and walks up and announces their presence OVER the Drone of the dust collector and bandsaw. You just jumped and your left thumb just lost the battle.

Luckily it was just a small cut under the nail. IT COULD'VE BEEN MUCH WORSE. Say maybe the table saw, or router. So what if any, do you do to help warn yourself of impending episodes like this.

I'm thinking about a big sign and a switch that will turn on a strobe to let me know I'm needed. How about you?

I think about safety all of the time and my family knows that if my head is down and I'm focused on something or the equipment is running then wait until I look up. Now I have the interlopers wanting to see what I'm doing. I mean some of these are joggers I don't even know come up and ask questions. Usually I'm sitting back taking a break when that happens, but today? It happened as described.

Well enough of my ranting. So what would you do to protect yourself. And No to closing the door, I enjoy having the door open when it's nice outside.

Mike

[Prostheta]

A sign saying "Please wait here quietly and until called".

Or be more mindful of your surroundings. My wife's done this to me a couple of times. Like turning the electricity off to the workshop, plunging me into darkness by surprise with heavy wood reducers winding down in my hands :-\

[Rick500]

I usually have the door closed, but not always (as when it's really nice outside). I haven't done it on purpose, but now that I think about it, when I'm using power tools, I'm usually either facing or side-on to anywhere from which someone could walk over.

I don't know that the strobe idea is such a good one; I know it would startle me just as much as a visitor.

Maybe a more subtle light would be in order.

[MiKro]

A sign saying "Please wait here quietly and until called".

Or be more mindful of your surroundings. My wife's done this to me a couple of times. Like turning the electricity off to the workshop, plunging me into darkness by surprise with heavy wood reducers winding down in my hands :-\

Yep I know the feeling of no power and complete darkness as well. and the saw is still spinning down. That's a total FREEZE where you are kinda thing.

MK

I usually have the door closed, but not always (as when it's really nice outside). I haven't done it on purpose, but now that I think about it, when I'm using power tools, I'm usually either facing or side-on to anywhere from which someone could walk over.

I don't know that the strobe idea is such a good one; I know it would startle me just as much as a visitor.

Maybe a more subtle light would be in order.

Rick,

You are most likely right, A good light and not a strobe. Usually, I would have noticed them but I moved my wood cart out on the drive and it blocked my view. Most of my tools face looking out or are perpendicular to the door, that way my periphial (spelling) vision helps cue me.

MK

[soapbarstrat]

Life size cardboard cut-outs of hard-core prisoner types, set up around the front of your garage. Should at least make the joggers think twice.

[fookgub]

Maybe you should try smacking your neighbor around for having no common sense. If I want something from someone that's using a power tool, I wait until they're done.

[Prostheta]

Air stapler permanently attached to your toolbelt? Pesky racoons, bothering me when I build....in the UK, we have chavs instead.

[Jon]

Turn off the bandsaw and proceed to punch them in the face. It's common sense not to walk towards someone working with power tools that exceed 110 decibels. After the beating, I would offer them a hefty dose of common sense and aspirin.

[jmrentis]

Well since you posed the question Mike, I guess we'll have to halves on the sales. I'm thinking of using those garage door laser beams that stop the garage, but instead when someone enters and breaks that beam it reacts as a kill switch and everything in the garage goes dead. Or instead the beam deploys some high voltage taser nods that will knock them out until you are done, you could substitute the beam for a trip wire for this option as well.

Generally this isn't something I worry about all that much because my spidey sense alerts me to any intruders, but I can see how dangerous that would be.

As soon as you started explaining the first thing that came to mind was a table saw and router table, just as you posted.

These things are dangerous enough without being startled. How well did you handle the situation? I don't know how well I could have kept my cool considering the person could have cost you your wood working career(in the extreme). Scary stuff though Mike, glad it was minor. A sign wouldn't be a bad idea, but it would have to be big and obvious and facing towards the outside which may not be a viable option. Well, best of luck Mike, hope this never happens again! J

[Southpa]

At work safety is the MAJOR concern. Not only making sure everyone wears the proper PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) but how to approach someone who is using potentially dangerous equipment. Of course, your average joe walking in off the street doesn't have a clue or even the common sense to figure it out. All you can do is post signs like "Do not disturb" or "Please do not approach when equipment is running". Or just keep your door shut.

Edited February 14, 2008 by Southpa

[Setch]

It's a tough question. I've always had it drummed into me not to disturb someone until the tool is off (and like a couple of posters have noted, it's common sense) but you can't educate everyone.

I think a sign asking people not to approach if any machine is running is about all you can do.

[Dean]

I had a neighbor that thought he had to honk ,as he drove by, it would make me jump or jurk everytime.He is a older guy so I just kinda took it.One day another neighbor stop by to chat and the subjuct came up about the horn,and we talked about it.Later I found out that the neighbor told him , as they had a good talking relationship, and he quit doing it.I know what your talking about ,head down,deep in thought ,not a good feeling.Glad you are ok, tho.Maybe a sign that says WHEN TOOLS ARE RUNNING ,YOU KEEP DOING THE SAME.

[erikbojerik]

Junkyard dog.

[ihocky2]

A healthy selection of land mines and claymores seems to keep the neighbors and distractions at bay. But when the errant squirrel makes a mistake the boom is just as startling.

Luckily my wife was taught as a child not to bother someone when a tool is running, so she is great about that. I have a small light wired in the garage that she can use to tell me when I am needed for something like dinner or the phone. She'll just flip the switch an little and I know I have been summoned. When working with the door I open I do tend to keep things poited so that I can see what is coming from the front and sides and the garage is to my back. But a sign posted asking people to wait until any powertools have stopped to announce their presence is probably the easiest way to go.

[CrazyManAndy]

I've been around large, dangerous power tools my whole life (my Father was a contractor), so it's kind of second nature for me to simply wait for the person to finish before I approach. I believe your best bet would be a sign saying something like Setch and ihocky2 suggested.

CMA

[MiKro]

Thanks everyone, I agree that a sign is going to be mandatory. something like,

For My Safety and Yours

PLEASE DO NOT DISTURB

WHILE EQUIPMENT IS RUNNING

It's sad that I have to post something like this at my own home.

Mike

[PTU 7's.]

Air stapler permanently attached to your toolbelt? Pesky racoons, bothering me when I build....in the UK, we have chavs instead.

Chavs lol: I heard some stories about those a$$holes.

When I'm working, the person that enters see what I'm doing, and I try to don't work with a power tool near the door.

[MiKro]

Air stapler permanently attached to your toolbelt? Pesky racoons, bothering me when I build....in the UK, we have chavs instead.

Funny you bring up Racoons and air nailer! Last year I had Racoons in my attic. no access to it. So my brother-in-Law and I parked my truck next to the house with my compressor in the bed and my Paslode framing gun loaded with 3 1/4" nails and drank beer and ate chicken until the Racktycoon came out of the eves. Yes, I had wired the nose back on the nailgun and had a semi auto nail gun. And yes I shot the suspect. He was found later(postmortem), nailed in the back of head, dead in the next door neighbors yard. One of my most BUBBA moments. It was great!!!!!!! A real feeling of GOTCHA!!!! It only cost me about 4K to repair the damage that he had done in the attic after he was gone.

Just thought I would let you know, you are not alone with the pesky Racktycoon problem LOL

Mike

[fookgub]

Air stapler permanently attached to your toolbelt? Pesky racoons, bothering me when I build....in the UK, we have chavs instead.

Funny you bring up Racoons and air nailer! Last year I had Racoons in my attic. no access to it. So my brother-in-Law and I parked my truck next to the house with my compressor in the bed and my Paslode framing gun loaded with 3 1/4" nails and drank beer and ate chicken until the Racktycoon came out of the eves. Yes, I had wired the nose back on the nailgun and had a semi auto nail gun. And yes I shot the suspect. He was found later(postmortem), nailed in the back of head, dead in the next door neighbors yard. One of my most BUBBA moments. It was great!!!!!!! A real feeling of GOTCHA!!!! It only cost me about 4K to repair the damage that he had done in the attic after he was gone.

Man, somebody buy this guy a .22!

[MiKro]

Air stapler permanently attached to your toolbelt? Pesky racoons, bothering me when I build....in the UK, we have chavs instead.

Funny you bring up Racoons and air nailer! Last year I had Racoons in my attic. no access to it. So my brother-in-Law and I parked my truck next to the house with my compressor in the bed and my Paslode framing gun loaded with 3 1/4" nails and drank beer and ate chicken until the Racktycoon came out of the eves. Yes, I had wired the nose back on the nailgun and had a semi auto nail gun. And yes I shot the suspect. He was found later(postmortem), nailed in the back of head, dead in the next door neighbors yard. One of my most BUBBA moments. It was great!!!!!!! A real feeling of GOTCHA!!!! It only cost me about 4K to repair the damage that he had done in the attic after he was gone.

Man, somebody buy this guy a .22!

I have one. Just wasnt thinking? If I had used CB longs in a bolt action 22 rifle there is NOOOOO noise. BUt I had cranial methane when this happened?

mk

[ihocky2]

But if he had used the .22, he would have nearly as entertaining of a story.

[Prostheta]

I think an air nailer would be cumbersome whilst working however. Perhaps a driveway full of rakes?

We don't have racoons in this country, although chavs are equally as annoying, destructive, smelly and are usually rooting through the garbage. They usually wear striped garb too.

[MiKro]

But if he had used the .22, he would have nearly as entertaining of a story.

Very True,

It was also a hella ofa lot of fun

MK