Engineering Machine Shop Safety Handout

The Basic Rules


1. Never work alone.
At least two adults must be in the shop when power tools are being used.
2. Never work when you are impaired.
This includes when you are too tired, stressed or hurried to work carefully.
3. If you cannot do a job safely in this shop, don’t do it.
There are limits to what we can build here.
4. Always wear closed-toe shoes in the shop.
Tools, chips and fixtures are sharp, and often hot. Shoes will help protect your feet from
injury. Leather shoes are preferred when welding.
5. Eye protection is essential. Always wear safety glasses when working or cleaning
tools.
Prescription glasses sold in the US with plastic lenses meet ANSI Standard Z87.1 for
safety.
6. Remove or secure anything that might get caught in moving machinery.
Rings, necklaces, long hair and loose clothes that get caught in tools can drag you along.
7. Keep your hands away from sharp tools.
Make sure that nothing that you do will cause you to be cut.
8. Dust, chemicals and smoke can be dangerous – work in well-ventilated areas,
minimize contamination and use appropriate protective equipment.
The safety equipment cabinet is on the patio.
9. If you’re unsure about the safe operation of a tool or any aspect of a job – ask for
help!
Have shop staff check you out on a tool the first time you use one with which
you are unfamiliar.
10. Clean up after yourself.
Before you leave the shop each day all tools must be returned to the toolbox, the machine
cleaned and wiped down and the floor swept. Leave 10-15 minutes for cleanup.


Drill Press Safety Guidelines

1. Run drill at correct RPM for diameter of drill bit and material. Ask shop personnel for the
correct RPM.
2. Always hold work in a vise or clamp to the drill table.
3. Use a correctly ground drill bit for the material being drilled. Shop personnel can help
select the correct bit.
4. Use the proper cutting fluid for the material being drilled. Ask the shop staff about the
appropriate fluid for the material you are machining.
5. Remove chips with a brush, never by hand.
6. Ease up on drilling pressure as the drill starts to break through the bottom of the material.
7. Don't use a dull or cracked drill. Inspect the drill before using.
8. Don't drill with too much pressure.
9. Always try to support part on parallels or a backing board when drilling thru material.
10. Never place taper shank tools such as large diameter drills or tapered shank reamers in a
drill chuck. Only straight shank tools such as standard drills can be clamped in chucks.
11. Always clean drill shank and/or drill sleeve, and, spindle hole before mounting.
12. Remove taper shank tools from spindle or sleeve with a drill drift and hammer.
13. Never try to loosen the drill chuck while the power is on.
14. Lower the drill spindle close to the table when releasing the drill chuck or taper shank
drill to reduce the chance of damage should they fall onto the table.
15. Never clean a machine while it is in motion!!
16. If the drill binds in a hole, stop the machine and turn the spindle backwards by hand to
release the bit.
17. When drilling a deep hole withdraw the drill bit frequently to clear chips and
lubricate the bit.
18. Always remove the drill chuck key, or, the drill drift from the spindle immediately after
using it.
19. Wear safety eye protection while drilling.
20. Let the spindle stop of its own accord after turning the power off. Never try to stop the
spindle with your hand.
21. Plexiglass and other brittle plastics can be difficult to drill. Ask the shop superintendent
for advice on drill and coolant selection when drilling these materials.


Lathe Safety Guidelines

1. Make sure that the chuck, driveplate, or, faceplate is securely tightened onto the lathe
spindle.
2. When removing the chuck, driveplate, or faceplate do not use machine power.
3. When installing the chuck, driveplate, or faceplate do not use machine power.
4. Move the tool bit a safe distance from the collet or chuck when inserting or removing
work.
5. Don't run the machine faster than the proper cutting speed – consult a speed and feed
table to determine the best speed.
6. In setting up the tool holder place it to the left side of the compound slide to prevent the
compound slide from running into the chuck or spindle attachments.
7. Always clamp the toolbit as short as possible in the toolholder to prevent it from breaking
or chattering.
8. Always make sure that the toolbit is sharp and has the proper clearance. Ask for
assistance making adjustments.
9. If any filing is done on work revolving in the lathe, file left handed to prevent slipping
into the chuck. Never use a file without a handle.
10. If work is turned between centers, make sure that proper adjustment is made between
centers and that the tailstock is locked in place.
11. If work is being turned between centers and expands due to heat generated from cutting,
readjust centers to avoid excessive friction.
12. Do not grasp or touch chips or turnings with your fingers, but get rid of them using a
blunt instrument. It is safer to turn off the lathe before clearing chips then to leave it
running.
13. Set the toolbit on the centerline of your work to prevent work from climbing over tool or
cutting above center and dragging.
14. Don't cut work completely through when turning between centers.
15. Remove chuck key from chuck immediately after using.
16. Turn chuck or faceplate through by hand before turning on the power to be sure there is
no binding or clearance problem.
17. Stop the machine before taking measurements.
18. Before cleaning the lathe remove tools from the tool post and tailstock.


Milling Machine Safety Guidelines

1. Work must be clamped securely in a vise and vise clamped tightly to the table, or, work
must be clamped securely to the table.
2. Do not take climb milling cuts on the shop’s mills unless instructed to do so.
3. Make sure cutter is rotating in the proper direction before cutting material.
4. Before running machine the spindle should be rotated by hand to make sure it is clear for
cutting.
5. Make sure the power is off before changing cutters.
6. Always use the proper cutting fluid for the material being cut.
7. Never run the machine faster than the correct cutting speed.
8. Make sure that the machine is fully stopped before taking any measurements.
9. Always use cutters which are sharp and in good condition.
10. Don't place anything on the milling machine table such as wrenches, hammers, or tools.
11. Always stay at the machine while it is running.
12. Don't take too heavy a cut or use too rapid a feed.
13. Remove the collet tightening wrench immediately after using it.
14. If at all feasible rig a guard or shield to prevent chips from hitting other people.
15. Use the milling machine spindle brake to stop the spindle after the power has been turned
off.
16. Before cleaning the mill remove cutting tools from the spindle to avoid cutting yourself.

Band Saw Safety Guidelines

1. The upper guide and guard should be set as close to the work as possible, at least within
1/4 inch.
2. If the band breaks, immediately shut off the power and stand clear until the machine has
stopped.
3. Examine blade before installing to see if it is cracked, do not install a cracked blade.
4. Use the proper pitch blade for the thickness of the material to be cut. There should be at
least 2 teeth in the material when cutting aluminum, and three teeth when cutting steel.
5. Check the speed table for the material that you are cutting. Do not run the band saw
too fast or the blade will wear out quickly.
6. If the saw stalls in a cut, turn the power off and reverse the blade by hand to free it.

Guidelines For Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW)

Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) is a welding process which joins metals by heating the metals to their melting point with an electric arc. The arc is between a continuous, consumable electrode wire and the metal being welded. The arc is shielded from contaminants in the atmosphere by a shielding gas.
GMAW can be done in three different ways:
Semiautomatic Welding - equipment controls only the electrode wire feeding. Movement of welding gun is controlled by hand. This may be called hand-held welding.
Machine Welding - uses a gun that is connected to a manipulator of some kind (not hand-held). An operator has to constantly set and adjust controls that move the manipulator.
Automatic Welding - uses equipment which welds without the constant adjusting of controls by a welder or operator. On some equipment, automatic sensing devices control the correct gun alignment in a weld joint. Basic equipment for a typical GMAW semiautomatic setup: Welding Power Source - provides welding power. Wire Feeders (Constant Speed And Voltage-Sensing) - controls supply of wire to welding gun. Constant Speed Feeder - Used only with a constant voltage (CV) power source. This type of feeder has a control cable that will connect to the power source. The control cable supplies power to the feeder and allows the capability of remote voltage control with certain power source/feeder combinations. The wire feed speed (WFS) is set on the feeder and will always be constant for a given preset value. Voltage-Sensing Feeder - Can be used with either a constant voltage (CV) or constant current (CC) - direct current (DC) power source. This type of feeder is powered off of the arc voltage and does not have a control cord. When set to (CV), the feeder is similar to a constant speed feeder. When set to (CC), the wire feed speed depends on the voltage present. The feeder changes the wire feed speed as the voltage changes. A voltage sensing feeder does not have the capability of remote voltage control. Supply of Electrode Wire. Welding Gun - delivers electrode wire and shielding gas to the weld puddle. Shielding Gas Cylinder - provides a supply of shielding gas to the arc.

1 Constant Voltage (CV)
Welding Power Source
2 Contactor Control/Power Cord
3 Weld Cable To Feeder
4 Ground Cable To Workpiece
5 Workpiece
6 Welding Gun
7 Constant Speed Wire Feeder
8 Electrode Wire
9 Gas Hose
10 Shielding Gas Cylinder