Safety First. Always. Part 2

Safety is not an accident.  Sorry for the pun, but that’s true.  Borrowing from an old axiom, welding accidents are never planned but not planning causes the accident.  Even in your own home shop or garage, with just you around, safety should be top priority.

It shouldn’t be derided, or made fun of. I remember years ago in shop class we’d try to skip out on the “safety goggles” if we could.  They weren’t cool. They looked ugly and smelled like the last guy that used them hadn’t taken a bath in a month. Someone in the safety industry must have noticed this though, because they make some really “cool” safety goggles now, and most of them won’t steam up on you either!  But when you are just by yourself, you usually aren’t worried about what someone else thinks.  No, rather, you are a little tired to go that extra mile that safety requires, or try to take a shortcut because no one is there to help you.

A lot of people have gotten the nickname of “lefty” “Shorty” or “stumpy”, or “dearly departed” that way. Seriously, working when too tired causes a lot of extra welding accidents yearly. Working too tired while alone, complicates the results of an accident. Sometimes there may not be anyone around to stop that lathe from turning or to hit the power switch.  I’ve been guilty of it myself, trying to get the job done on time, or rush a project out.

I’ve taken risks which now seem silly to me. I wonder why I did it to begin with. But I’ve begun to look at things a little more closely, stop a little more early, and keep a buddy around when I need a hand.  Failing to do so just isn’t worth it to me any longer.