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Preventing problems in the home workshop. Most workshop mishaps can be prevented by exercising the commonsense precautions presented in this section; accidents, however, can befall even the most careful worker. Sharp tools can cut. Faulty power tools can shock or throw off particles that may injure an eye. Many solvents, adhesives and finishing products contain chemicals that can burn the skin or emit toxic fumes, causing dizziness, faintness or even loss of consciousness. A chemical spill can occur almost at any time. If you act quickly and properly, you can prevent serious harm or damage in an emergency. The Troubleshooting Guide on below puts emergency procedures at your fingertips; it lists quick-action steps to take and refers you to more detailed information. Read the instructions thoroughly in case you ever need to use them. Prevent emergencies by working safely at all times. Always wear the proper personal safety gear for a job. Only use tools that are in good condition. Work with good lighting and ventilation. After a job, clean up the work area thoroughly. The list of safety tips at right covers basic guidelines for using the tools and performing the techniques described in this book. Refer to each section for more specific safety information; carefully review Setting Up To Work for proper set-up and clean-up procedures. Be prepared to act quickly in any emergency. Label the main circuit breaker, the main fuse block or the service disconnect breaker for your electrical system; also map the circuits of your home and label them at the service panel. In the event of a workshop electrical emergency, you will want anyone to be able to shut off power quickly. Always be prepared for fire. Install a smoke detector in the workshop and test it regularly. Keep a fire extinguisher rated ABC by the workshop exit and check its pressure gauge monthly. Store a well-stocked first-aid kit in a convenient, accessible location; in the event of a workshop medical emergency, you will want anyone to be able to find it and administer minor first aid. Keep an adequate stock of clean-up supplies on hand—clay-based cat litter and absorbent cloths for mopping up spills of paints, adhesives or other chemicals and cleaning solvents for any product you use or store in the workshop. If you act quickly to clean up spills, harm and damage can be prevented. When in doubt about your ability to handle an emergency, call for help. Post numbers for the local fire department, hospital emergency room, poison control center and physician near the telephone. In most areas, dial 911 in the event of any life-threatening emergency. Even in non-emergency situations, qualified professionals can answer questions about the safety of your workshop. When you dispose of chemical containers and refuse, call the local department of environmental protection or public health for information about the proper procedures and any special regulations in effect in your community. == SAFETY TIPS 1. Before using any tool or undertaking any technique described in this book, read through the entire procedure carefully. Familiarize yourself with the specific safety information presented in each section. 2. Always choose the right tool for the job and inspect it carefully; don't use a broken or worn tool. 3. Wear the proper safety gear for the job: safety goggles with power tools or hammers; work gloves with sharp or rough objects; rubber gloves with chemicals; respiratory protection with tools that create dust or chemicals that emit hazardous vapors; hearing protection with noisy tools. Avoid wearing loose clothing, tie back long hair and remove jewelry. 4. Concentrate on the job; don't rush or take short cuts. Never work if you are tired, stressed or have been drinking alcohol or using medication that induces drowsiness. 5. Keep children out of the workshop or away from the job site. Store tools and chemicals well out of a child’s reach. 6. Use power tools and extension cords that bear a recognized seal of approval; look for the UL (Underwriters Laboratories) or CSA (Canadian Standards Association) stamp. Carefully read the manuals for your power tools. 7. Never use an extension cord of a rating less than the amperage of a power tool; outdoors, use an extension cord rated for outdoor use. Use an extension cord to supply electricity only temporarily—not as permanent wiring. 8. Never work with electricity in damp conditions. To guard against electrical shock, plug a tool only into a GFCI-protected outlet and don't touch anything metal while using it. 9. Always use a power tool’s guards and safety devices. Turn off and unplug the tool and let it cool before changing a part or adjusting it. Make sure the tool is turned off before plugging it in; keep it unplugged when it's not in use. 10. Never force a tool to work beyond its capability. Never leave a tool on the ground where it can be tripped over. When working with a cutting tool, stand to one side and never cut directly towards yourself. 11. Read and keep the labels of finishes, solvents, adhesives and other chemical products. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for the safe use of a product, paying close attention to in formation about hazards, antidotes, storage and disposal. 12. When working with flammable chemical products, keep away from sources of heat and work only in a well-ventilated area—outdoors, if possible, out of direct sunlight. 13. Store flammable chemical products in airtight containers away from sources of heat; never store oil with other flammables. Wash cloths soaked with chemicals for reuse or store them for disposal in airtight metal or glass jars—outdoors preferably, away from sunlight. 14. Bag chemical waste, including empty containers, separately from other household refuse and keep it outdoors until it can be disposed of. Ask the local department of environmental protection or public health about proper disposal procedures. 15. Post the telephone numbers of your local fire department, hospital emergency room, poison control center and physician near the telephone. == TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE
SHUTTING OFF ELECTRICITY 10a Shutting off power at a circuit breaker panel. If the floor is flooded, don't touch the panel; if it's damp, wear rubber boots. Locate the circuit breaker for the circuit to be shut off. Wearing heavy rubber gloves, keep one hand in a pocket or behind your back and use your other hand to flip the circuit breaker to OFF; don't touch anything metal. If the circuit is not labeled, locate the main circuit breaker, a double breaker usually above the others and labeled MAIN; flip it to OFF the same way. If there is no main circuit breaker, locate the service disconnect breaker in a separate box nearby or outdoors by the electricity meter and flip it to OFF the same way. To restore power, flip the circuit breaker fully to OFF, then to ON. Shutting off power at a fuse box. If the floor is flooded, don't touch the box; if it's damp, wear rubber boots. Locate the plug fuse or fuse block for the circuit to be shut off. Wearing heavy rubber gloves, keep one hand in a pocket or behind your back and don't touch anything metal. Grasp a plug fuse by its insulated rim and unscrew it (above); grip a fuse block by its handle and pull it straight out. If the circuit is not labeled, locate the main fuse block or blocks, usually at the top of the box; pull each block straight out (inset). If there is no main fuse block, locate the main circuit breaker or service disconnect breaker (step left), or the shutoff lever on the side of the box; pull down the lever. To restore power, screw in the plug fuse, push the fuse block until it snaps into place or push up the shutoff lever. RESCUING A VICTIM OF ELECTRICAL SHOCK 10b 1. Freeing a victim of electrical shock. A person who contacts live electrical current is usually thrown back from the source; sometimes, however, muscles contract involuntarily around the source. don't touch the victim or the source. Immediately shut off power at the main circuit breaker, the service disconnect breaker or the main fuse block (steps above). If power can't be shut off immediately, unplug the source, if possible, or use a wooden broom handle or other implement to knock the victim free. 2. Handling a victim of electrical shock. Call for medical help immediately. Check the victim’s breathing and pulse; if you are qualified, administer artificial respiration if there is no breathing and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPA) if there is no pulse. If the victim is breathing and has no back or neck injury, place him in the recovery position, tilting the head back with the face to one side and the tongue forward to maintain an open airway. Keep the victim calm until medical help arrives. CONTROLLING A FIRE 11a Extinguishing a fire. Have someone call the fire department immediately; if the fire is not small and contained or flames or smoke come from the walls or ceilings, evacuate and call the fire department from a neighbor’s home. To control a small, contained fire, use a fire extinguisher rated ABC. Caution: Never use water on an electrical or a chemical fire. Lift the extinguisher from its bracket, set it upright on the floor and pull the lock pin out of its handle. Keeping the extinguisher upright, lift it and aim its nozzle or hose at the base of the fire, positioning yourself 6 to 10 feet away with your back to an accessible exit. Squeeze the handle levers together (left) and spray in a quick side-to-side motion. Keep spraying until the fire is out. Watch for flashback — rekindling of the fire—and be ready to spray again. If the fire spreads or the extinguisher empties before the fire is out, evacuate. After an electrical fire, shut off power. Have the fire department inspect the site of any fire—even if it's out. Replace the extinguisher or have it professionally recharged. INSTALLING FIRE EXTINGUISHERS and SMOKE DETECTORS Class ABC fire extinguisher. In stall a multipurpose, dry-chemical fire extinguisher in the workshop; an ABC type is effective against any small, contained fire involving an electrical unit, flammable liquid or ordinary combustible. Only buy an extinguisher that bears a recognized seal of approval; look for the UL (Underwriters Laboratories) or CSA (Canadian Standards Association) stamp. A typical household extinguisher holds a pressurized cargo of 2 1/2 to 7 pounds and lasts 8 to 20 seconds; in the workshop, install one of at least 5 pounds. Mount the extinguisher on the wall near an exit, away from potential fire hazards and no more than 5 feet above the floor. Check the pressure gauge of the extinguisher monthly; if the arrow points to RECHARGE or any time you discharge the extinguisher, have it professionally recharged or buy a new one. CLASS ABC FIRE EXTINGUISHER. Smoke detectors. Install at least one smoke detector on the workshop ceiling above potential fire hazards. An ionization smoke detector (left, top) senses atomic particles and responds quickly to hot fires with little smoke; however, it may set oft annoying false alarms. The photoelectric cell of a photoelectric smoke detector “sees” molecules; it responds well to a smoldering fire and is not prone to false alarms. Some smoke detectors have a built-in light to illuminate an escape route when the detector sounds. Test a smoke detector battery once a week by pressing its test button (left, center) and holding it for several seconds. Replace the battery if the smoke detector does not sound when it's tested or it emits a chirping sound, indicating a worn battery. Vacuum or wipe dust off the smoke detector vents regularly. IONIZATION SMOKE DETECTOR; PHOTOELECTRIC SMOKE DETECTOR PROVIDING MINOR FIRST AID 12a Pulling out a splinter. Wash the skin around the splinter with soap and water. A metal splinter may require treatment for tetanus; seek medical help. Otherwise, sterilize a needle and tweezers with rubbing alcohol or over a flame. Ease out the splinter from under the skin using the needle, then pull it out with the tweezers. Wash the wound again with soap and water. If the splinter can't be removed or the wound becomes infected, seek medical help. Treating a cut. To stop a wound from bleeding, apply direct pressure with a clean cloth or gauze dressing and elevate the injury. If the cloth or dressing becomes blood-soaked, add another one over the first; avoid lifting the cloth or dressing to inspect the wound. Con- tine applying direct pressure and elevating the injury until the bleeding stops. If the wound is minor, wash it with soap and water, then bandage it. If the bleeding persists or the wound is deep or gaping, seek medical help. Treating a burn. Gently remove any clothing from the burn; don't remove any clothing adhered to it. If the burn is severe, gently cover it with a gauze dressing and seek medical help immediately. Otherwise, flush the burn in a gentle flow of cool water from a faucet or cover it lightly with a clean cloth soaked in water. Flush or soak the burn for at least 5 minutes, then bandage it. don't apply antiseptic spray or ointment, butter or oil, or baking soda or alcohol. 12b Flushing a chemical from the eye. Holding the eyelids of the injured eye apart with your fingers, position the injured eye under a gentle flow of cool water from a faucet or pitcher; tilt the head to one side to prevent the chemical from washing into the uninjured eye. Flush the eye for 15 to 30 minutes, then, moving the eye as little as possible, seek medical help immediately. Removing a particle from the eye. Facing a mirror, use the forefinger and thumb of one hand to hold open the injured eye. Inspect the eye for the particle; if necessary, slowly rotate the eye to help expose it. Caution: don't remove a particle that is on the cornea, is embedded or adhered, or can't be seen. Otherwise, gently wipe away the particle using the twisted end of a tissue moistened with water (above, left). Or, fill an eye irrigator with cool water and use it to flush out the particle. Lean forward with eyes closed and press the rim of the irrigator to the injured eye, then tilt back the head. Open the eyes (above, right) and blink several times to flush out the particle. Lean forward again to remove the irrigator. If the particle can't be removed, seek medical help immediately. CLEANING UP A CHEMICAL SPILL 13 Cleaning up and disposing of spilled chemicals. Immediately open nearby doors and windows, extinguish all sources of heat and turn off electrical units operating nearby. Keep people and pets away from the spill site. Caution: Check the label of the spilled product; if it's marked EXTREMELY FLAMMABLE and you have spilled more than 1 quart, or if it's marked with POISON vapor or ventilation warnings and you have spilled more than 1 gallon, leave the spill site and call the fire department. Otherwise, clean up the spill quickly wearing rubber boots, heavy rubber gloves and safety goggles; if the label of the spilled product is marked with POISON vapor or ventilation warnings, also wear a respirator. If the spill is small, soak it up with cloths or paper towels; dispose of them in a metal container double-lined with heavy-duty plastic garbage bags. If the spill is large, spread an absorbent material such as clay-based cat litter on it; when the spill is soaked up, sweep up the absorbent material with a whisk broom and dustpan (right), then dispose of it the same way. To clean up any remaining residue, choose an appropriate solvent (step below). Check the label of the solvent; if it's marked with POISON vapor or ventilation warnings, be sure to wear a respirator. Apply the solvent following its directions, using a scrub brush on a masonry surface (inset) or a soft, clean cloth on another surface. Clean up the solvent as you did the original spill. Close any reusable container and store it safely. Seal the waste material, broken or empty containers, and any whisk broom or dustpan in the metal container and store them outdoors, away from heat and light. Call your local department of environmental protection or public health for recommended disposal procedures.
Choosing a solvent. Use the chart above to identify the solvent you need to clean up residue from a spilled product. Caution: Check the label of the spilled product for any special solvent required. Buy only as much solvent as you need for a job. Never mix solvents unless you are specifically instructed by the manufacturer; combinations of solvents can be lethal. Carefully read the safety instructions on the label of a solvent before opening and using it; note whether the solvent may damage the surface you are cleaning. Previous: (none) |