With this segment, we’re wrapping up our series on Shop Safety. We’ve covered a lot of bases, and we’re positive we didn’t cover all them. When it comes to working on cars, it’s pretty easy to invent new ways to hurt yourself! The bottom line is, work carefully and pause to think things through before diving head first into a project. Here’s our wrap on the final ten. Check it out:
Click Here to Begin Slideshow
It’s a good idea to keep work areas clean and organized. Pick up tools, put parts away and use your tool box and workbench instead of cluttering the floor. Tripping over tools and crashing head first into a car is never fun.
FIRE SAFE:
Fire safety when working on cars is critical – no secret. As it turns out, working on cars is full of fire hazards, so ensure your shop has a working fire extinguisher.
OUT OF FASHION:
Never wear loose fitting clothing or jewelry when working with power tools. Even something like a 3/8-inch electric drill chuck can catch a loose fitting t-shirt and raise havoc (ask me how I know!).
If you’ve ever had to endure a trip to your local Ophthalmologist, then you can appreciate how important the use of safety goggles can be. If you grind or strike a metal piece and pieces fly (explode, shred, etc.), literally right in front of your eyes, safety glasses or goggles become more than critical. From personal experience, having a stray piece of metal shrapnel extracted from your eyeball isn’t fun.
QUICK TAN?
When exposed to welding, remember you can get a pretty good tan in a couple of minutes and you can also get a pretty good burn in five minutes or so on exposed skin. Cover up.
Whenever you cut, drill, grind anything with a machine (saw, grinder, drill, etc.), remember it gets hot! Be sure to allow the item in question time to cool before picking it up.
Alcholic beverages and grease don’t mix folks. Save the beers and happy hour until the work is done for the day.
Claw hammers don’t belong in an automotive toolbox. They’re simply not required or engineered for automotive mechanical work. The reasons are valid: Claw hammers are designed to pound nails and to pull out nails. The nails they strike are typically soft. Because of this, the hammer head material is not hardened to the level found in something like a ball peen. That means if you use a claw hammer to smack a cold chisel with some force, you can actually chip off face material. Additionally a claw hammer will usually have a more rounded striking face when compared to tools designed for automotive work.
When working in your shop, consider keeping a somewhat reasonable work schedule. Many of us work on our projects after a long day at work. It can be a real temptation to try and do too much. Take your time! When you’re tired or frustrated, that marks the right time to put the tools away, clean up the work area and shut off the lights. Under those circumstances, you’re simply an accident waiting to happen.
SPIN CYCLE:
While it’s tempting, don’t spin dry a cleaned bearing by holding in your hand and directing compressed toward it. Why not? The bearings can be damaged or may fly apart which in turn, can whack your car or you.
