health & safety model engineering mikes-models

General

First of all, I am not a teacher; I am a relative novice model engineer and
only hope to show how I have gone about making different articles. None of
the examples of my work or working practices are designed to instruct
others in how to do a task or make an item. Proper help should be sought
from either a model engineering club or local educational course (none of
which are local enough for me unfortunately).

My service in the British Fire and Rescue Service showed the benefits of
operating a good Health and Safety culture. As I am now only responsible
for myself, I see no reason to change the way I look at safety issues. In my
workshop I record the accidents that befall me. I also record ‘accident free’
days, much to the amusement of visitors, but it has shown me that so far
100% of accidents are ‘minor’ cuts. So I have taken to using the proper
hand protection when handling things that have caught me out before.
Result? Less down time and plasters! I also record ‘near misses’ as these
are free lessons for me. To ignore them is only inviting a ‘proper’ accident in
the future.

It may seem little over the top but machinery is something that should be
treated with respect, something I am becoming more certain of as each
incident occurs.

Specific

My basic health and safety kit comprises of the following.

1 x AFFF extinguisher (embarrassing if I got this wrong!!!)

Eye protection

Plastic Glasses

Plastic Goggles

Full face shield

Hand protection

Welding gloves (two types – long and short wrist protection)

General purpose gloves

First aid type gloves (keeps the hands clean in painting or polishing mode)

Overalls (The coat type is better for me I find, easier to put on)

Comprehensive First Aid kit

Stout shoes

Metal containers for flammable liquids

Finally, I try to think of it as commonsense, but that’s a mystic property that
only turns up once you know something for sure or should have seen it
coming!