| While at work you have a whole staff of safety | | | | visiting religious workers who might enter the |
| and legal personnel to look after you. But in the | | | | area. While you may have made arrangements to |
| home workshop, you must take responsibility for | | | | keep yourself safe, these unexpected additions |
| your own workplace safety. | | | | may create hazards that you did not expect. |
| | | | Control the area or prepare for unexpected |
| 1. Keep the work area clean. Many home | | | | guests. |
| workshops get cluttered due to their multiple uses | | | | 7. Control your attitude. Don't work on anything |
| of the space. It is far too easy to keep things | | | | when you are angry or upset. Take time to |
| stored in the active working areas. Standing on | | | | control your emotions before starting any job. If |
| the third seat from your SUV is not the right | | | | it is a job you don't want to do, find a way to |
| place to use your grinder. | | | | look at the situation differently. Be glad you are |
| 2. Keep flammable and combustible items away | | | | able to do this rather than having to hire someone |
| from spark producing activities. Before using your | | | | else. Only work when you are relaxed and in |
| grinder, look to see what is stored around that | | | | control of your thoughts and emotions. |
| might respond to a spark. The same with welding | | | | 8. Don't use chemicals to help control your |
| or cutting. The bottom of your welding table is | | | | emotions. And beware of the effect of chemicals |
| not a good place to store your gas can. | | | | you are working with like solvents and welding |
| 3. Paint and glass can be damaged by sparks | | | | fumes. If you use alcohol or other chemicals to |
| from a grinder so keep these away form spark | | | | relax, find a different activity to enjoy while under |
| producing equipment as well. This saves the | | | | the influence of the chemical. Let the great stories |
| trauma of your anger when you notice the specs | | | | about the stuff that goes wrong in the garage |
| in the rear glass of your Jeep after working on | | | | while drinking be about someone else. |
| your trailer. | | | | 9. Plan you project as fully as possible before you |
| 4. Wear safety glasses of a face shield when | | | | begin. Make sure your tools are up to the task |
| using grinding or cutting tools. You have to be | | | | before you start the job. Don't pull that last |
| your own safety director at home. And you can | | | | transmission bolt and then discover the jack does |
| grumble behind his back about having to wear | | | | not work. |
| those silly glasses but wearing them sure beats | | | | 10. Visualize yourself doing the job safely and |
| that trip to the ER to have a metal splinter | | | | completely before you begin. Staying safe and |
| removed. | | | | healthy begins and ends in your mind. If you think |
| 5. Properly support your work. Having stuff fall | | | | you might get hurt doing a job , don't start until |
| while you are working on it is not only annoying | | | | you can imagine yourself completing the task with |
| but can lead to painful injuries. And if it falls on | | | | out the possibility of injury. Take whatever |
| you, it may be the last thing you ever work on. | | | | precautions you need to complete the |
| Why work on it if you can't enjoy it afterwards. | | | | visualization. |
| 6. Control the space. Beware of family, pets or | | | | Stay safe and enjoy your home workshop. |