Like any industrial workplace, there is a multitude of safety practices and needs that machinists can easily overlook or neglect. However, this doesn’t make them any less critical. To ensure you or the machinists in your employ maintain their well-being when working with machinery, here are some workplace safety tips for machinists.
Keep machines well-guarded
We don’t mean that you need to keep an armed guard by the machinery at all times.
What this refers to is keeping the doors on machinery closed and locked when not in use by a machinist. Many machines come with safety interlocks already installed, but if a piece of machinery does not have any built-in safety measures, you should put in place some form of protection, such as barriers or warning signs.
This kind of physical barrier in front of the machines prevents tampering with controls or accidents resulting from bumping into the machinery. Catastrophic accidents can take place if inexperienced or careless machinists aren’t careful with the machines.
For instance, issues can occur if someone opens the hood of a machine before it has completely stopped. These physical barriers that prevent tampering reduce such accidents significantly.
Avoid altering the tools
Like the machines, the tools machinists use have very specific purposes, functions, and standards that must be upheld to prevent any accidents caused by misuse.
While these tools can be very expensive, it’s heavily advised operators don’t skimp for cheaper tools or try to alter them to be used for unintended purposes. This may result in failure of the tools during a job and cause serious injury to a machinist.
Furthermore, the handling of tools and machinery needs to be done by a qualified professional.
Cleaning and maintaining machinery
One of the most basic workplace safety tips for machinists is simply keeping the machinery and tools clean and well-maintained. This will ensure they enjoy a long and effective lifespan while operating as expected.
A build-up of grime or debris will interfere with the machinery and can compromise the products being made, creating defects and unpredictability that may lash out and harm machinists on the job. Refer to machinery manuals and follow policies set in place to properly and safely clean and maintain the machinery.
Personal protection equipment
Like individuals in all industrial careers, machinists have certain personal protective equipment they need to keep them safe on the job and meet OSHA standards.
For instance, eye and ear protection are important because machinery can be incredibly loud and damaging to one’s ears. Additionally, you never know when something may fly out of the machines and potentially damage someone’s eyes. Limbs are also vulnerable to harm, especially hands, which are a machinist’s two primary tools.
Leather work gloves provide ample protection from abrasions and cuts while still maintaining the dexterity needed for handling more delicate tasks that require fine motor skills. Lastly, durable steel-toed boots with slip-resistance soles will decrease falls in the workplace and prevent feet from being crushed by heavy materials.
