Injuries resulting from machine tool operations present some of the most serious problems in industries.
Machine tools by definition include all power-driven machines, not portable by hand, used to shape or form material such as metal, wood or plastic by cutting, impact, pressure, electrical techniques, or a combination of these processes. Grinders, buffers, and similar machines are included in this definition.
Great emphasis has to be placed on the safe operation of machine tools.
To eliminate unsafe practices, follow these rules:
- Operation, adjustment, and repair of any machine tool must be restricted to experienced and trained personnel or apprentices under close supervision.
- Safe work procedures must be established, and short cuts and chance-taking prohibited.
- Supervisors must be responsible for the enforcement of safe operation and work procedures.
- New equipment should be inspected and safety innovations made before using the equipment.
- The best way to assure safe operation is to plan ahead.
Maintenance personnel and repairmen should comply with this four-point policy. Maintenance or repair should only be permitted after a machine’s disconnect switch has been shut off, locked in the “off” position, and tagged.
If equipment were kept in top shape and operated correctly, injuries from machine tools would be rare.
The following general rules apply to the safe operation of any machine tool:
- Machine tools should never be left running unattended.
- Don’t wear jewelry or loose-fitting clothing, especially loose sleeves and cuffs or shirts or jackets, and neckties.
- You should wear eye protection, as should others in the area (such as inspectors, stock handlers, and supervisors).
- Throwing refuse or spitting in the machine tool coolant should not be allowed – such actions foul the coolant and may spread disease.
- Manual adjusting and gauging of work should not be permitted while the machine is running.
- Use brushes, vacuum equipment, or special tools for removing chips.
- Use the proper hand tools.
Good housekeeping also contributes to safe operation. Good habits of maintaining a ship-shape work area can carry over to establish good habits in machine operation, with resulting prevention of accidents.
One of the major causes of eye accidents on all machine tools, and especially on drilling equipment, is indiscriminate use of high pressure compressed air to blow chips from machines or workers’ clothing.
It is much safer and just as practicable in most cases to remove the air line and provide each machine with a brush for the removal of chips.
Do not use compressed air to blow dust or dirt off your clothing or out of your hair. Damage to ears and eyes is likely to occur. This practice should be stopped, and brushes or vacuum equipment provided for this purpose.
Your safety depends largely upon the following established safe work procedures, and wearing the right kind of protective clothing.
Obviously, you should wear eye protection. Without some effort to confine or control the chips and coils removed from the stock being machined, there is no way for you to determine or control the direction of flight of these particles.
Closely fitting clothing is of vital importance to your safety. Many serious injuries and fatalities have resulted when neckties, loose shirt sleeves, or other clothing were caught in a belt and pulley, between gears, in a revolving shaft, or in the revolving work being held in the chuck.