Sawdust on the Floor

This past weekend I was watching an episode of “Ask This Old House” and the guys were spoofing Norm Abrams, of the New Yankee Workshop. They joked about Norm’s propensity to wear plaid shirts, and also a little jive about Norm’s weekly safety reminder that goes,” Remember there are no more important safety items, than to wear these” where upon Norm will touch his safety glasses.

While Norm’s love of the plaid shirts would drive some fashion experts to question his mental state, his safety comments are right on the mark. The problem isn’t the message that Norm is delivering, it’s the fact that week after week Norm dutifully delivers the exact same message. And, since we as woodworkers are all human, we stopped listening to the message a long time ago.

I don’t think that anyone of us ever go into our shops, and plan to have an accident. We don’t finish that last cup of coffee, and then tell our spouse, ” I think I will go out into the shop and do something really dangerous, and if I’m lucky you wont have to drive me to the ER this afternoon.” I do think that as we become more comfortable with the tools and techniques that we employee we become too comfortable, or maybe a better word would be that we become complacent.

I know that’s what happened to me. Several years ago I was working in my shop late one Sunday afternoon. I was trying to cut something really close to the blade, and of course I wasn’t using a push stick. I knew better but it was late and I knew what I was doing, Yeah, sure I did. While I was doing this really stupid thing, I was distracted by something else in the shop, and the next thing I knew I had a bloody mess on my hand, literally. I spent that afternoon in the ER and the next three days in the hospital. Today I still have all ten fingers, well maybe 9 3/4 would be a better statement, and I have scars that will always be there. But I was lucky.

The cause of the accident was clear to me, My fingers were too close to the blade, but that is the secondary cause. The primary cause that I had become to comfortable with the tools and forgot just how quickly an accident can happen.

Before you think that I ran off and starting working for OSHA, relax. I just wanted to take a few minutes to remind all of my fellow woodworkers that the day we go into our shops and have no respect for the potential for injury that lies within, is the day we become dangerous to ourselves and anyone working with us. I would really love to never hear of another woodworking accident, so guys Please………….be careful and be safe.