Personal Protection
No matter how well you know a tool and how many times you have read its manual, personal protection is essential to workshop safety. While everyone is generally responsible for their own PPE (personal protective equipment), some commonly needed items are suitable for sharing.
You can find those next to the door from the common room to the wood workshop.
Goggles
| ToolInfoBox Goggles | |
|---|---|
| |
| Synonyms: | safety glasses, safety eyewear; DE: Schutzbrillen |
| Type: | safety gear |
| Material: | shrapnel, sparks, dust, liquids |
| Location: | common room |
Wear goggles for any task involving dust, sparks, shards, chemicals or overhead work!
When using especially eye-threatening tools such as disc grinders or the wood lathe you should also wear a face shield.
Face Shields
| ToolInfoBox Face Shields | |
|---|---|
| |
| Synonyms: | visors, grinding visors; DE: Visiere, Gesichtsschutz |
| Type: | safety gear |
| Material: | shrapnel, sparks, dust, liquids |
| Used with: | wood lathe, disc grinders |
| Location: | wall above wood lathe; metal workshop |
| Access Requirements: | upon reading |
| Similar (More or Less): | goggles |
Face shields protect a much larger area than goggles and are unlikely to let something dangerous come around them. However, it is a good idea to still wear goggles underneath for extra security and the times when you move the shield up (same as with welding helmets).
Ear Defenders
| ToolInfoBox Ear Defenders | |
|---|---|
| |
| Synonyms: | acoustic earmuffs, hearing protection, hearing muffs, "Mickey Mouse"; DE: Ohrenschützer, Kapselgehörschutz |
| Type: | safety gear |
| Material: | sound waves |
| Location: | common room |
Ear defenders protect your ears against noise (and, technically, also wet willies).
- explanation of rating system: (DE)
- in short, SNR (single number rating) expresses the average noise reduction and the other values correspond to reduction of high, medium or low frequency sounds
Gloves
| ToolInfoBox Gloves | |
|---|---|
| |
| Synonyms: | DE: Handschuhe |
| Type: | safety gear |
| Material: | splinters, chemicals |
Common types are "work gloves" for mechanical protection (e.g. sharp edges, heat) and disposable latex gloves for liquid and adhesive handling.
Never wear gloves when operating a drill press or similar rotating tool!
Dust Masks
| MaterialInfoBox Dust Masks | |
|---|---|
| |
| Synonyms: | DE: Staubmasken, Atemmasken |
| On Site? | no, please bring your own! |
| Suggested Tools: | - |
Depending on the type of work different kinds of dust/vapour protection is needed. Generally they are classified into P1-P3, where P1 protects against 80%, P2 94% and P3 99,95% of particles. When working in the workshop while dust is generated a P1 or P2 mask should be worn. There are one time use dust masks available, but it is recommended to use a proper half mask with the appropriate filter as these seal much better on the face.
Toxic vapours are filtered via active carbon.
Hooking up the shop vac to power tools whenever possible greatly reduces the need for these and keeps the room around you clean as well.
Examples of hazardous materials while sanding/cutting etc.:
- hardwood
- steel (especially stainless)
- composite materials (like carbon/glass fibre)
- various kinds of plastics
- silicon (Silizium) - that's why you don't actually use sand for "sandblasting"
