Announcement:Safety Tip for Lathes and Mills!!

[scalelover]

I will second RCT, I operate and work around machines on a daily basis and while I never forget what they can do to me I have become complacent from time to time due to the safety features my CNC machines have and this is NOT ok. I can be killed in a split second if one of the lathes looses clamp pressure, or if I don't program correctly and it shoots a blank out, I can get wrapped up in the spindle just as easily if I get to close and these things everyone needs to think about.

Now when it comes to Operating "ole bessy" my WWII south bend lathe, even though it has become second nature I don't get lax or loose focus because if I slip up or don't mind my P's and Q's it could and will easily rip me to shreds in a second and this is something I don't forget!!!! Most likely because it's an open machine not a cnc so it's all staring me right in the the face and with a 12" chuck screaming away its hard to not think about it.......

While not a piece of machining equipment, an auto repair shop that is very close to me had a horrible accident about 2 weeks ago. There lead mechanic was crushed under a lift when a truck came down on him killing him instantly. He had bypassed the safety lock of the lift (every mechanic has done it) and a hydraulic line blew out with it fully lifted and a plow truck on it. Let's just say it was not a pretty sight as they finally got the lift back up off the ground.

Moral of the story's is don't get lazy, don't disable safety features and always know the limits of the machines and your ability to operate them !!!,

--Dan

[carp]

Lent over the back end of a tractor once when the pto was running, caught my baggy trousers in it ripped them half off then pulled me in luckily the pto lever was close enough for me to knock off but still if it hadnt been id probably have no legs, my car keys were in my trouser pocket and the ignition key was bent double, you dont realise the power these things have until it happens to you or you see it happen yourself.