Workshop Safety Tips: Protective Gear

Series Summary

One of the keys to creating a successful woodworking project is to have the right tools ready for action. Sure, someone could make a project with a hammer and a hacksaw, but they would have a very hard time achieving the precise cuts and fits that are possible with tools such as jointers, joiners and planers, not to mention the wide variety of specialty saws. Woodworking is a precision craft these days, and if the carpenter-in-training is going to successfully compete with the quality of work of other students or other artisans, they will need to know your way around a wood shop. And they will want to stay safe while mastering the art of woodworking. In this series of carpentry lesson videos, a shop teacher and professional carpenter will discuss safety in the workshop. Learn about protective clothing as well as safety goggles. Jon Olson will demonstrate power tool safety as well techniques for removing dust from the wood shop environment. He will also explain what to do in the case of an emergency.

Video Transcript

"Hi, this is Jon and in this clip, I'll be talking about personal safety equipment. Now, the first and most important rule of woodworking, is to have and wear appropriate safety equipment. Of all the personal protective equipment, the safety glasses is probably the most important. Without your eyesight it is virtually impossible to do any form of woodworking. Now, when purchasing a pair of safety glasses, you want to make sure it holds the Z87 rating and that's going to be written right on the package and right on the safety glasses. Additionally, since the tools in a woodworking shop can get very loud, you'll want a good pair of ear protection, here we have just some foam ear inserts. There are also different types of ear protection that encompass your entire ear. Now, since woodworking shops can also get pretty dusty, it's always good to have some type of a dust mask or respirator. And, lastly, if you're doing any type of staining or finishing, you want to make sure you have a good pair of gloves that are somewhat chemical resistant. A lot of times stains and finishes will actually eat through the glove and break those gloves down. So, make sure you have a good strong pair of gloves."