Safety Equipment at WOODWEB's Knowledge Base

Safety Gear and Equipment to Reduce Kickback Risk
This discussion of kickback in the shop, its causes, and how to prevent it, includes several very frightening personal accounts of accidents. January 19, 2012

Creosote-treated timbers: Cut with care
Some wise precuations to take if milling lumber previously treated with creosote. September 21, 2000

Heating a New Shop and Spray Booth
Radiant heat could be ideal, but the spray room will need filtered fans. February 25, 2005

Safety Gear and OSHA Inspections
Shop owners compare perspectives on how to be ready when OSHA drops by. March 3, 2010

CV and formaldehyde fumes
The wrong respirator can lead to serious health problems. July 22, 2003

Table Saws and Safety
Shop owners discuss table saw dangers, practicality issues with blade guards, and other safety equipment options. July 2, 2008

Safe sprayroom setup
Advice on everything from finish type to disposal of hazardous materials. December 17, 2003

Dust-Collector Blade-Guard Retrofit Ideas
Shop owners show off shop-rigged solutions for combined table-saw blade safety and dust collection. September 15, 2011

Downdraft Sanding Tables
Cabinetmakers sing the praises of downdraft sanding tables, and discuss whether it's worth building your own. November 20, 2005

Exhaust Fan Size for Spray Booth
How much ventilation is needed? August 17, 2004

Air Filtering and Fire Safety for a New Shop
Advice on safety and ventilation equipment for a new woodworking shop. March 2, 2006

Dealing with spray booth noise
Protecting your hearing from the deafening roar of spray booth exhaust equipment. November 15, 2000

Safeguarding Woodworking Machines and Worker Safety
A detailed description of machinery safeguarding techniques - 1984

Spray Booth Safety
A discussion of spray booth requirements, with some interesting photos. October 14, 2006

Poison oak prevention and treatment
Sawmillers share thoughts on the best preventions and cures for exposure to poison oak. September 6, 2000

Wood dust hazards and safety gear
A detailed look at personal safety precautions for those exposed to wood dust.

Is This Fan Explosion Proof?
The electrical code references a range of safety ratings for spray booth fans, which relate to the classifications of hazards and the rules for fan location and control switching. November 16, 2011

Rip Saw Kick-Back Prevention
Pondering how to prevent a recurrence of a rip-saw accident that sent the off-cut flying and crushed a finger. December 14, 2009

The truth about pressure-treated wood
Exploding some myths about the dangers of CCA pressure-treated wood. August 10, 2000

Explosion-proof spray room lighting
The practical and regulatory aspects of explosion-proof lighting in finishing rooms. July 18, 2000

Tablesaw guards
Safe standard and alternative tablesaw guards and splitters. July 24, 2001

Small Auxiliary Dust Collection Solutions
Ways to provide occasional dust collection for lightly-used tools, so you don't have to crank up your central system. February 13, 2006

Respirator Filter Storage
For long life, respirator filter cartridges should be stored in a sealed bag or container when not in use. April 30, 2009

Filtering out isocyanates
Is an organic respirator capable of filtering out isocyanates? December 6, 2000

Breathing Protection with Conversion Varnishes
Finishers discuss respiratory health and personal protection issues relating to the application of acid-catalyzed coatings. October 27, 2005

Cutting the butt off blowdowns
Cutting the butts off blown-down trees can be hazardous. Here are some safety tips. June 27, 2000

Dust Combustion: Will Your Shop Explode?
A collection of useful links about the risk of woodshop dust fires or explosions, and about preventive measures. June 15, 2014

Safe Design and Operation of Portable Circular Power Saws
Two hands on the saw is the safest way, say the safety experts. September 16, 2005

Filter Bags Versus Canister Filters
Shop owners discuss filtration options for high-performance dust collection systems. February 13, 2006

Setting up a powerfeeder
The care and use of powerfeeders. November 7, 2000

Explosion-proof fans
Building a safe spray booth to eliminate the risk of explosions. January 24, 2001

Procedures for shop-floor medical emergencies
What to do when a serious accident occurs in the shop. September 26, 2000

Dust Collector Fire and Explosion Prevention
Thoughts on selecting a fire suppression or spark detection system for a dust collector bag. June 15, 2014

Grounding Dust Collection Hose
How do you ground flex pipe for a dust collection system? (And is it even worth doing?) February 19, 2013

Shopping for an Overarm Blade Cover
Sharing experiences with different makes and models. February 25, 2005

Wood Dust, Spray Finishes, and Lung Function.
A cabinetmaker who finishes his own pieces asks whether anyone else feels shortness of breath. Fellow woodworkers chime in with advice on pulmonary health and the cabinetry trade. November 21, 2005

Aftermarket Brake for an Old Saw Motor
A discussion about adding motor braking to existing older machinery. August 16, 2012

Disposing of Spray Booth Filters
Are old filters from the spray booth hazardous waste, or regular trash? June 15, 2014

Boosting voltage with a transformer
Guidelines for increasing voltage through the use of a transformer. January 31, 2001

Noise-Canceling Headphones in the Wood Shop
A few who have tried electronic noise-canceling headphones around woodworking machinery report unimpressive results. June 12, 2014

Variable-Speed Controls and Explosion-Proof Fans
Using a variable-speed controller likely voids the explosion-proof rating on a fan. August 14, 2007

Fog-Proofing Your Goggles
The biking and hockey worlds have solutions for preventing foggy facemasks. August 14, 2007

Dust Collector Duct Sizing
Where to look for info on proper ductwork diameters. May 16, 2005

Explosion proof lighting
What type of lights should be used in your spray booth? May 19, 2003

Heaters in the Finishing Room
Portable electric heaters create sparks and cause explosions. Don't do it. June 18, 2013

Respirator Filter Life
Quick tip on how to store respirator filters and when to change them. December 1, 2005

Why bother with dust collection?
Good reasons to invest in a dust collection system. March 16, 2001

Battery-Powered Respirators
Are the positive pressure ("air fed") facemasks with a battery pack a good idea for finishers? July 16, 2012

Glasses, Beards, and Breathing Protection
A half-mask or helmet and hood respirator is the way to go if you can't get a good seal from a regular mask. August 21, 2006

High Speed Abort Gate for Dust Collection System
This component activates to divert the duct airflow out of the building for fire safety in case of an explosion. October 20, 2013

Mist-type dust collection
Water-mist dust collection techniques for capturing ultra-fine dust. June 14, 2000

Eyewitness: Injury
Scary stories about careless acts and bad consequences. June 28, 2005

Safety Glasses in the Shop
The owner gets advice as a new eye protection rule creates a labor-management dynamic in a woodshop. August 27, 2009

CNC Safety Choice: Pressure Mat or Laser Sensors?
CNC owners weigh the pros and cons of various operator safety shutoff systems. January 4, 2014

Finger Versus Tablesaw
A cautionary tale of a seven-stitches encounter with a tablesaw blade sets off a discussion of accidents had and lessons learned. April 25, 2006

Building Your Own Spray Room -- On a Budget
Technical advice and alternatives for a small operator building a new shop. February 25, 2005

Almost Cut My Thumb Off
A close call with the table saw sparks a conversation about safe equipment and careful practices. January 11, 2008

Table-Saw Safety Accessories
How to keep a table saw safe, and why it matters. May 22, 2006

Tablesaw blade safety device
Does a new sawblade-stop product really protect your fingers? July 29, 2003

Sawstop Stories
Cabinetmakers discuss the value of a Sawstop table saw, which trips and stops before cutting off your fingers. August 12, 2014

Fire Sprinkler Requirements for a New Woodshop
including a story of one disastrous fire. December 14, 2005

Template Routing -- with a Vacuum Clamp
March 19, 2002

SawStop Setup
Tips on adjusting the SawStop cabinet saw's safety brake. May 15, 2011

Shop-Built Cabinet Lift Photos
Detailed images of a jack designed to help with cabinet installation. December 21, 2008

Safety and climb cutting
Safety issues involved in climb cutting with a shaper. January 21, 2003

Troubleshooting SawStop False Trips
Saw Stop blade brakes rarely activate without reason. But in this case ... February 17, 2012

New shop specs and layout
Electric power and other considerations for a new cabinet shop. April 24, 2002

Downdraft Tables Versus Vacuum-Equipped Sanders
Some woodworkers swear by downdraft tables, others swear by sanders coupled to vacuum dust collectors. May 22, 2006

Regulations for finishing operation
Concerns about building, fire and environmental laws for new shop. March 23, 2002

Safety Air Switch Logic for Clamps
Advice on sources for pneumatic clamps that require two-handed actuation for safety. August 30, 2010

Health Alert: Hearing Loss
A short discussion about how woodworking can damage your hearing. April 22, 2014

Dust Collection Design Guide
A dust collection design guide (in PDF format) originally written by Air Handling Systems - July 17, 2001

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