ofafeather Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 (edited) Hi, All. I'm new as a smith but have done enough other work in my life to know that safety can easily be taken for granted. I've had a couple of thoughts about how to keep safety in the fore while we work in our craft. First I would like to propose that we offer a Safety Tip of the Day. It should be stickied and there could be three or four categories: General, Welding, Forge, etc. The tips should be in the form of a short statement that brings some practical safety issue to the front of our minds. In reading some of the safety posts I came across a simple one: Use proper lifting techniques for moving heavy objects such as anvils and forges. While I think input from the masses as for topics is great I think it would defeat the purpose if we had lost of tips on one day. The actual Tips of the Day should be limited to one or two per category and be posted daily. In addition we can have a separate sticky that is a running list of safety points, again in the form of short statements. This list can be augmented as points come up or it can coincide with the Safety Tip of the Day. Another thing that may be possible is a procedural safety checklist for certain topics such as propane safety, welding, shop maintenance or other topics as they come up. I think there are so many great points on the site but they may very well get lost because they tend to be anecdotal. If there is a story about a safety issue we should extract the main point of "do this" or don't do this" and move that to the list in the stick section this way people that might not take the time to read the posts in the safety section can have simple reminders of the valuable lessons that are there. Anyway, just my thoughts. Edited October 20, 2009 by ofafeather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 You hold the *COLD* end and hit the *HOT* end; please get it right next time! (Quote from an old friend---Jim Green) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wedwards Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 (edited) In the "Everything Else Category: Never get in a fight in an elevator. Bill Edited October 20, 2009 by wedwards correct typo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bentiron1946 Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 Don't run in front of a bus when being chased by a dog. Buses are bigger than dogs. Now for a real safety tip: Never try to polish a chain on muslin wheel, use a tumbler instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ofafeather Posted October 21, 2009 Author Share Posted October 21, 2009 Well, I guess I forgot an important tip: Never sit in the front row at a comedy club:p ...or a blacksmiths' forum! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 When the ground wants to examine your piece it is *extremely* rude to try to prevent that by grabbing a hot piece with your bare hand. Be polite and let the ground examine it and then pick it up with a set of tongs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
divermike Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 When you tell yourself not to touch something that is hot, after you have set it back on the anvil, do not lean over the anvil and set your hand on it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wedwards Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 Somebody's signature says it pretty well - your brain is the most powerful tool you have. As soon as I make a list of rules I would find soon enough, often painfully, that I had forgotten to include one. If we rely on lists we tend to look only at what is on the list to the exclusion of other things which, with a little thought, could be patently obvious. The one rule I have always followed with some success is if I have to ask myself what would happen if I tried something with tools and heavy/hot/explosive/flammable things I probably shouldn't try it. Think completely through the process before you even start. Ask yourself what is the worst thing that could happen if you screw it up and that's probably what will happen if you screw it up. If you are not completely comfortable with the safety aspect of whatever it is you are about to do you probably will screw it up if not get hurt. Find someone who knows and ask them. Don't get in a hurry. I belive in the adage, "PPPPPPP" - Proper Prior Planning Prevents P... Poor Performance. It doesn't work all the time but often enough to make my life easier. And I still have all my fingers. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 Don't set your gloves on fire while wearing them. Just in case of this event, make sure that your gloves can come off very quickly without touching them, as they are flaming and hot. Don't set the gloves you are not wearing on fire either, it is wasteful of good gloves. If a piece of hot metal flies into a pile of dry leaves, pour water on the leaves as a preventative instead of waiting for smoke or fire. Keep your-out-of-doors work area clean of flammable debris. No injuries occurred before this post, unless you count the gloves. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bentiron1946 Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 Don't pee in the slack tub, your gloves may be on fire sometime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wedwards Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 In the "Everything Else Category: Never get in a fight in an elevator. Bill This wasn't offered entirely in jest. My point is that if you are getting involved in something that could quickly become unpleasant, always have a way out. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ofafeather Posted October 21, 2009 Author Share Posted October 21, 2009 This wasn't offered entirely in jest. My point is that if you are getting involved in something that could quickly become unpleasant, always have a way out. Bill Good point! I guess we should always have a clear escape route. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragons lair Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Or it may be your fingers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Some folks couldn't hold onto a piece of hot iron with a pair of tongs even if you arc welded the tongs to it! Give these folks their distance and try to have them burn down somebody else's smithy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ofafeather Posted October 22, 2009 Author Share Posted October 22, 2009 If you take a motorcycle safety class they tell you to keep your head in the ride. Basically, keep your focus. If you're distracted you should stop work and go rake leaves (so the hot metal from your outdoor forge doesn't start a fire) or something that doesn't require your full attention. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
divermike Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Always be aware of your fatigue level, for tis truth, accidents happen when you are tired. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bentiron1946 Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Watch your temper, no not that one, your anger. Don't get angry when things don't go right and throw hot metal or hammers either. It's nonproductive and dangerous. Go rake leaves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ofafeather Posted October 22, 2009 Author Share Posted October 22, 2009 ... Go rake leaves.We've got 13 acres of deciduous trees if any one has some anger to work out ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Einhorn Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 We've got 13 acres of deciduous trees if any one has some anger to work out The Dept. of Health has an anger management workbook that anyone can print from their web site for free:http://www.kap.samhsa.gov/products/manuals/pdfs/anger2.pdf :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 23, 2009 Share Posted October 23, 2009 If you have students sharing a forge and anvil; try to have them work from opposite sides of the anvil so they are not in each other's way when hot steel is traveling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sask Mark Posted October 23, 2009 Share Posted October 23, 2009 Our office has the "7 P's Rule". Proper Prior Planning Prevents P**s Poor Performance I work in construction where we have multi-year, multi-million dollar projects on the go. It's amazing how much can be accomplished (financial, schedule, safety etc.) if you follow the 7 P's rule. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 Hearing protection: makes child care more tolerable, especially at 2 AM. Also keeps wood chips, grass clippings, sawdust, sand, grinding swarf, and hot scale out of your ears. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 The buffer and the wire wheel are one of the few pieces of equipment in the shop that stay up all night plotting how to HURT/MAIM/KILL you! *NEVER* give them the chance. Watch them as if they would grab your piece away and try to kill you with it at any time when in use! Wear protective equipment! This is also a situation where bigger does not equal better---I worked with a swordmaker who even on large swords used an underpowered buffer as if something went wrong he wanted to be able to stall out the buffer rather than have it grab a 40" long blade and sling it around the shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bentiron1946 Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 Phil, Would you please talk LOUDER for us old fellers! Hearing protection is for sissy's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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