22 Jun Machine Shop Safety

Machine Shop Safety – Safe Machine Shop Operations

Machine shop safety requires employees to recognize and control hazards created by saws, lathes, drills, grinders, and other metalworking equipment. Moving and rotating machinery, sharp materials, flying debris, noise, and hazardous chemicals can cause serious injuries if proper safeguards and work practices are not followed.

Common Machine Shop Hazards

Machine shop employees may be exposed to:

• Rotating or moving machine parts.
• Points of operation, nip points, and cutting surfaces.
• Flying chips, sparks, and metal fragments.
• Sharp stock, burrs, and finished parts.
• Entanglement with rotating machinery.
• Crushing or caught-between hazards.
• Noise.
• Hot surfaces and materials.
• Cutting fluids, lubricants, solvents, and other chemicals.
• Slips, trips, and falls caused by poor housekeeping or spilled fluids.

Personal Protective Equipment

Wear PPE appropriate for the equipment and task.

• Wear required safety glasses while working in the machine shop.
• Use appropriate face protection when grinding, cutting, or performing other operations that generate flying particles. A face shield does not replace required safety glasses or goggles.
• Wear appropriate hearing protection when required.
• Wear sturdy, slip-resistant footwear and safety-toe footwear when required by the hazard assessment.
• Use appropriate gloves when handling sharp stock, chips, or materials when the machinery is stopped.

Never wear gloves around exposed rotating machinery when they could become caught and pull your hand or arm into the equipment.

Prevent Entanglement

Before operating machinery:

• Secure long hair.
• Remove rings, watches, bracelets, necklaces, lanyards, and other jewelry or dangling items.
• Wear close-fitting clothing.
• Keep sleeves secured and away from moving parts.
• Keep hands and body parts away from rotating and moving equipment.

Machine Operation

Only trained and authorized employees may operate machine shop equipment.

Before operating a machine:

• Understand its controls, hazards, and emergency stopping procedures.
• Inspect the machine before use.
• Verify that required guards and safety devices are installed and functioning.
• Make sure cutting tools are properly installed and secured.
• Secure workpieces with the appropriate vise, clamp, chuck, or fixture.
• Remove chuck keys, adjustment tools, and other loose objects before startup.
• Make sure nearby employees are clear before starting the equipment.

Never reach into operating machinery or attempt to stop moving components with your hands.

Machine Guarding

Guards and safety devices must remain properly installed and functional.

Never remove, bypass, block, or defeat a guard or interlock. If a required safeguard is missing, damaged, or malfunctioning, do not operate the machine and report the condition.

Use push sticks, fixtures, or other appropriate devices when necessary to keep hands away from hazardous points of operation.

Safe Cutting and Machining

• Operate equipment according to manufacturer instructions and established procedures.
• Use the correct cutting tool, speed, and feed rate for the material and operation.
• Do not force stock through machinery.
• Keep hands away from cutting and rotating components.
• Allow machinery to come to a complete stop before measuring, adjusting, or removing material.
• Never leave operating machinery unattended unless specifically designed and authorized for unattended operation.
• Do not attempt to catch falling or moving stock with your hands.

Clearing Jams and Performing Maintenance

Simply turning off the machine does not necessarily make it safe.

Before clearing jams, performing maintenance, removing guards, or placing any part of your body into a hazardous area, follow required lockout/tagout or hazardous-energy-control procedures.

Wait for all moving components to stop and control electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, gravitational, and other stored energy before beginning work.

Metal Chips and Shavings

Metal chips and shavings may be extremely sharp and hot.

• Never remove chips with your bare hands.
• Use a brush, scraper, pliers, or other appropriate tool.
• Do not use compressed air to blow chips from machinery, clothing, or work surfaces unless specifically permitted under an approved procedure and appropriate safeguards are used.
• Allow hot materials to cool or handle them with appropriate tools and PPE.
• Dispose of chips and scrap in designated containers.

Housekeeping

Maintain clean, orderly work areas.

• Clean spills promptly.
• Keep aisles and walking surfaces clear.
• Keep tools properly stored when not in use.
• Dispose of oily rags and combustible waste in appropriate containers.
• Prevent excessive accumulation of metal chips and scrap.
• Keep machine areas free from unnecessary materials.

Chemicals and Cutting Fluids

Employees may work with cutting fluids, coolants, lubricants, cleaners, and solvents. Review the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) before using unfamiliar chemicals and follow required precautions for handling, storage, ventilation, PPE, and disposal.

Wash exposed skin after handling machining fluids and chemicals. Do not eat or drink in areas where contamination could occur.

Remember

Machine shop equipment can cause severe injury in seconds. Stay focused, use required guards and PPE, secure your work, keep hands away from moving parts, and never attempt maintenance or jam clearing until hazardous energy has been properly controlled.