Chapter – 3 Other Operations Safety precautions in

1) Welding,
2) Cutting,
3) Brazing,
4) Soldering,
5) Metalising,
6) Chiseling, and
7) Blasting Operations.
Safety in selection, use and maintenance of the associated
equipment and instruments.
Safety in finishing operation like
a) cleaning,
b) polishing and
c) buffing and their related hazards.
Safety during maintenance and use of these machines
Safety Precautions of Welding
Safety
Mike Jeffries | March 22, 2021

Welding can be a dangerous procedure if proper

precautions are not taken. When workers are tasked
with welding, for any application, safety should always
be the number one priority. Welding requires adequate
training and knowledge of safety standards.

Related Blog: Lincoln & Miller Welding Repair

Services in Sarasota
1. Need for Protective Equipment and
Proper Maintenance
Welders need protective gloves, goggles, helmets and
respiratory protection that will safeguard welders from
injuries. Employees should also be fully trained in
hazards and equipment operation.

Equipment needs to be thoroughly checked and

maintained on a regular basis to ensure they are safe
for use.

Protection Against Burns and Harmful X-

rays
It is advisable to use a darker lens and gradually
transition to a lighter lens, for visibility and protection of
the eyes and skin from exposure to x-rays. The gloves
used should be flame resistant to help protect from
burns.

2. Fire and Health Safety Precautions

Welding is a fire hazard, especially in the presence of
flammable materials. Fire extinguishers need to be in
proximity to the welding area as well as a fire alarm.
Fire extinguishers should also be checked to ensure
that the gauge is full.

There should be standard procedures in place, that give

instant guidance to those that find themselves in
dangerous situations.
Health should be taken into consideration, which
includes having a fully stocked first aid kit nearby to
attend to any injuries immediately.

3. Clear Working Environment

Welding should only be carried out in safe areas that
are free from clutter and free from the risk of fire. In a
construction site, flammable-materials should be
removed. Welding should be done in a dry location.

4. Regular Inspection for Gas Leaks

Gas cylinders should be handled in a correct manner.
They should be maintained in an upright position and
regulators should not be switched between the
cylinders.
5. Proper Storage of Flammable Products
Flammable liquids and gases should be stored away
from the welding area. Specialized storage is
recommended for construction sites.

6. Proper Checking and Maintenance of

Electrical Nodes
Equipment should be properly insulated to prevent
electrical shock to welders. Welders should wear proper
gloves; ensuring that electrodes do not come in contact
with wet clothing or skin.

Maintain proper electrical insulation from the welding

metal and the welder’s body. Electrodes should also be
inspected before welding commences.

7. Continued Education
This will help welders follow proper safety procedures
and stay up to date with best welding practices and
standards.
Gas Cutting Safety
Precautions
Oxy-fuel welding, often referred to as “gas cutting,” is a process that
uses fuel gases and oxygen to weld and cut metals. It’s commonly
used for repair work and for welding pipes and tubes. Cutting
operations have very distinctive risks and safety rules that should be
followed to maintain a safe workplace. Organizations need to
understand the risks and how to safely operate their gas cutting
equipment.

Fire Protection Methods

Move combustible materials to a distance of at least 35 feet away from
the work area before cutting begins. If that’s not possible, combustibles
should be protected with flameproof covers or guards. An appropriately
sized ABC fire extinguisher should be easily accessible, and a hot
work permit should be acquired if cutting is not being done in a
previously approved area. If a hot work permit is necessary, a fire
watch observation should be performed for a period of at least 30
minutes after all hot work has been completed.

Personal Protection During Gas Cutting

Fume Inhalation – Use local exhaust ventilation whenever possible. If
good ventilation is available, fume generation through safe work
practices, engineering controls and personal protective equipment
(PPE).
Eye Injuries – Eyes should be protected from flying debris, hot metal
slag burns and fume, gas and vapor exposures. Wear ANSI-approved
safety glasses and a full-face-piece tinted lens rated at least #6 (the
higher the number, the darker the lens).
Bodily Injuries – The entire body should be protected from flying
molten metal/sparks by wearing heavy duty leather gloves, hats,
aprons and long-sleeved jackets and pants over cotton clothing.
Synthetic or synthetic-blend clothing should not be worn because it can
melt and burn skin when it comes in contact with hot sparks. Protective
footwear should consist of leather shoes or boots with steel toes and
metatarsal supports, which help protect the foot from dropped items.
Ergonomic Risks – Gas cutting can involve precise work in awkward,
confined or tight locations. This poses the risk of musculoskeletal
disorders, mainly to the back, neck and shoulders. Your workplace
should focus on reducing or eliminating forceful exertion and awkward
postures while welding.

Gas Cutting Equipment: Cylinders and Hoses

Follow these guidelines for proper maintenance and usage of gas
cutting equipment:

 Only store and use cylinders in the upright position

 Secure cylinders at all times to prevent them from falling, whether
empty or full
 Cylinders should not be rolled on their sides, carried or hoisted
unless they are properly slung
  Cap all cylinders when not in use
 Separate stored fuel gas and oxygen cylinders by at least 20 feet
or by a 5-foot-high barrier with a minimum fire rating of 30 minutes
 Only use approved green oxygen hoses with righthand threaded
couplings and approved red fuel gas hoses with left-hand
threaded couplings
 Cylinder valve couplings should be free of debris before attaching
a regulator. A simple process to remove debris from a valve is to
briefly open each cylinder. Do not use compressed air to blow out
valves, as the air may contain oil. This purge should be done in a
well-ventilated area.
 Noncombustible materials should be positioned to prevent sparks
and/or hot metal from coming into contact with welding hoses

Other Gas Cutting Precautions

 All cutting connections and equipment, including gloves and
clothing, should be kept free of grease and oil. An explosion can
occur if oxygen interacts with petroleum products.
 Clean gas cutting torch tips before lighting
 Only use friction lighters to ignite torches
 Follow the manufacturer’s instructions when shutting down a gas
cutting torch
BRAZING SAFETY TIPS: SIX STEPS FOR
SAFE BRAZING

While safety is a critical component in any manufacturing

operating, brazing carries its own hazards, including chemical
fumes and the heat of the torch flame.
Modern safety programs focus on behavior-based safety (BBS)
– encouraging employees to focus on actions leading to safer
outcomes by preventing an injury or accident – rather than
using only conformance-based approaches designed to
penalize non-compliance or eliminate all risk. Ideally, you want
to identify potential risks and then raise situational awareness,
so that workers are cognizant of their immediate surroundings
and the impact of their actions on their well being, as well as
the safety of those nearby.
In addition to protecting individual workers, a robust safety
initiative helps avoid lost-time injuries (LTI) for your operation
and ensures that you meet – or exceed – OSHA requirements.
Safe working conditions result in a safe day, safe tomorrow,
safe years and safe careers.
Six Steps for Safe Brazing
Naturally, appropriate personal protection equipment (PPE) for
a brazing job includes gloves to protect hands against heat and
shaded goggles or fixed glass shields to protect operators
against eye fatigue and vision damage. Next, take these well-
tested steps in your workplace – and share these best
practices with workers – to enhance brazing safety:  
1. Ventilate confined areas. Brazing involves the possibility of
dangerous fumes and gases rising from base metal coatings,
zinc and cadmium-bearing filler metals, as well as fluorides in
fluxes. Use ventilating fans and exhaust hoods to carry all
fumes and gases away from work, along with air-supplied
respirators as required.
2. Clean base metals thoroughly. Any surface contaminant
of unknown composition on base metals may add to the fume
hazard and may cause inadequate alloy bonding.
3. Apply sufficient flux. Flux protects base metals and the
filler metal during the heating cycle. Proper flux coverage can
help suppress outgassing of volatile elements in the braze filler
or base metal. Consult the appropriate safety data sheet (SDS)
for specific hazards associated with brazing flux.
4. Heat metals broadly. It’s important to heat the base metals
broadly and uniformly. Why? Intense, localized heating
consumes flux, increasing the danger of fuming. Apply heat
only to the base metals, not to the filler metal, because direct
heating of the filler metal causes overheating and fuming.
5. Know your base metals. A cadmium coating on a base
metal volatilizes and produces toxic fumes during heating. Zinc
coatings (galvanized) also fume when heated. Outgassing of
these elements not only presents a safety hazard, but can lead
to increased porosity in your braze joint. Be sure to check that
your base metals do not have these coatings prior to brazing.
6. Know your filler metals. Be especially careful not to
overheat an assembly when using filler metals that contain
cadmium. Consult the material’s SDS for maximum
recommended brazing temperatures of a specific filler metal.
Each filler metal carries a warning label; look for it and follow
the instructions carefully.
Ensuring safety in your brazing practice pays off in the well
being of your employees as well as the success of your
operation. If you need assistance, consider a brazing
audit from the Lucas Milhaupt Technical Service team. Our
experts can conduct a thorough technical audit of your brazing
process and provide a report of process improvement
recommendations.
Soldering Safety
Read risk assessments and chemical safety
information before starting work.  These should be
readily accessible from the soldering station.
 
Make sure you know what is in your solder, it is
not always apparent on the reel label. If in doubt,
ask.
 
Soldering Iron
 Never touch the element of the soldering
iron....400°C!
 Hold wires to be heated with tweezers or clamps.
 Keep the cleaning sponge wet during use.
 Always return the soldering iron to its stand when
not in use. Never put it down on the workbench.
 Turn unit off and unplug when not in use.
Solder, flux and cleaners
 Wear eye protection.  Solder can “spit”.
 Use rosin-free and lead-free solders wherever
possible.
 Keep cleaning solvents in dispensing bottles.
 Always wash your hands with soap and water after
soldering.
Lead exposure
 Lead can give rise to serious chronic health effects. 
Exposure will primarily be through accidental
ingestion from your skin, wear gloves if directly
handling solder.  Limited fumes may be generated by
soldering. 
Rosin exposure
 Rosin (colophony, ersin) is a resin contained in solder
flux.  Flux generates the visible fumes seen during
soldering.  Exposure to rosin can cause eye, throat
and lung irritation, nose bleeds and headaches. 
Repeated exposure can cause respiratory and skin
sensitisation, causing and aggravating
asthma.  Rosin is a serious occupational health
hazard.
Control of fumes
 Soldering using rosin is only permitted in
strictly controlled conditions after discussion
with the Safety Office where there is no
effective alternative.  Fume extraction should be
through an enclosed hood (preferred) or tip
 extraction.  Ideally these should vent to the outside. 
Tip extract units that use filter boxes should include
both activated carbon and HEPA filters.
 Bench top filter extract systems may be used for
rosin-free soldering in well ventilated areas (i.e. large
volume work space or with mechanical air changes. 
Placement of these is important to performance, if in
doubt ask.
 All extract systems should be tested at least annually
and maintained (i.e. change filters regularly).  Keep a
log of filter changes or mark date on filter/system.
 Do not solder if extract is not working properly and
report immediately.
Training and supervision
 Supervisors/line managers should inform users of the
risks from soldering.
 Supervisors/line managers should ensure that
controls are in place and working and that they are
used correctly.
 All those soldering should be trained and supervised
appropriately.
Health Surveillance
 All those soldering frequently (i.e. more than once a
week) and any using rosin containing solders should
 be referred to the Safety Office for health
surveillance.
Electrical Safety
 Do not use soldering irons that have obvious damage
to body, cable or plug.
 All soldering irons should have had electrical safety
(PAT) testing within the last twelve months.  If not,
contact the on-site BOC representative.
 Keep the soldering station free of electrical cables to
prevent damage from the heated tip.
 Use a grounded outlet and grounding prong if a short
circuit is a possibility.
Fire Prevention
 Work on a fire-proof or fire resistant surface.
 Wear fire resistant clothing (e.g. 100% cotton) that
covers your arms and legs to prevent accidental
burns.
 Know where your nearest fire extinguisher is and
how to use it (Safety Office can arrange training).
First Aid
 Immediate place any burns under cold water for 15
minutes.
 Report to a first aider if deep or extensive otherwise
protect with a plaster (band-aid).
Waste
 Collect waste solder in a lidded container.  Replace lid
when not in use.
 Label appropriately and dispose of as hazardous
waste (contact Safety Office).
 Used solder sponges and contaminated rags should
be placed in a sealable bag for disposal as hazardous
waste.

Safety in Metal Spraying

Metal Spraying is not a dangerous process, if
equipment is treated with care and correct
spraying practices are followed.
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However, as with any industrial process, there are a number of

hazards of which the operator should be aware and against
which specific precautions should be taken.
Ideally, equipment should be operated automatically in enclosures specially
designed to extract fumes, reduce noise levels and present direct viewing of
the spraying head. Such techniques will also produce more consistent
deposits. However, there are occasions when the type of components being
treated or low production levels require manual operation. Under these
conditions a number of hazards peculiar to thermal spraying are
experienced in addition to those commonly encountered in production or
processing industries.

Noise
Metal spraying equipment uses compressed gases which create noise.
Sound levels vary with the type of spraying equipment, the material being
sprayed and the operating parameters. Typical sound pressure levels taken
1 metre behind the arc spray or flame spray nozzle are 102-104 db(A).

Specially designed enclosures should be used to attenuate these levels.

Where this is not possible, operators and passers-by should wear good
quality ear defenders. Please refer to the relative Metallisation manual for
the generated noise levels of a specific piece of equipment.

Light
Combustion spraying equipment produces an intense flame which may
have a peak temperature in excess of 3,100°C and is very bright. Electric
arc spraying produces ultra-violet light which may damage delicate body
tissues. Spray booths and enclosures should be fitted with ultra-violet
absorbent dark glass. Where this is impracticable operators and others in
the vicinity should wear protective goggles containing BS grade 6 green
glass. Opaque screens should be placed around spraying areas. The
nozzle of an arc pistol should never be viewed directly unless it is certain
that no power is available to the equipment. For Plasma an even higher
level of protection is required typically BS grade 10 green glass.

Dust and Fumes

The atomisation of molten materials produces a certain amount of dust and
fumes. Proper extraction facilities are vital, not only for personal safety, but
to minimise entrapment of re-frozen particles in the sprayed coatings. The
use of breathing masks fitted with suitable filters is strongly recommended
where equipment cannot be isolated.

Certain materials offer specific known hazards.

 All finely divided metal particles are potentially pyrophorric and none
should be allowed to accumulate.
 Certain materials e.g. aluminium, zinc and other base metals may
react with water to evolve hydrogen. This is potentially explosive and
special precautions are necessary in fume extraction equipment.
 Fumes of certain materials, notably zinc and copper alloys are
unpleasant to smell, and, in certain individuals, may cause a fever-
type reaction. This may occur some time after spraying and usually
subsides rapidly. If it does not, medical advice must be sought.
 Several commonly sprayed substances are subject to statutory
exposure limits, please refer to the relevant MSDS sheets for the
material to be sprayed.

Heat
Combustion spraying pistols use oxygen and fuel gases. The fuel gases are
potentially explosive. In particular, acetylene may only be used under
conditions approved by the Health and Safety Authorities. Oxygen, while
not explosive, will sustain combustion and many materials will
spontaneously ignite if excessive oxygen levels are present. Care must be
taken to avoid leakage and to isolate oxygen and fuel gas supplies when
not in use.

Electricity
Electric arc pistols operate at low voltages (below 45 dc) but are relatively
high currents. They may be safely hand held. The power supply units are
connected to 440 volts AC sources and must be treated with the normal
caution afforded to such equipment.

Compressed Air
The air supply to spraying pistols is at high pressure. It should not be
directed towards people. The motor air supply is lubricated and on no
account should it be fitted to breathing apparatus. Any breathing equipment
used with the thermal spraying process must be supplied with air of
breathing quality.

Hand Tools - Wood Chisels

CLOSE ALL
What are some safety tips to know when using a
wood chisel?
Wood chisels are made in various shapes and sizes and for many
uses. Use the correct chisel for the job.

 Wear safety glasses, or goggles, or a face shield (with safety

glasses or goggles).
 Use the right size of chisel for the job.
 Choose smooth, rectangular handles that have no sharp edges
and are attached firmly to the chisel.

 Make sure that the cutting edge is sharp. Dull chisels can be
difficult to control and require more effort to do the job.
 Check the stock (wood) thoroughly for knots, staples, nails,
screws or other foreign objects before chiseling.
 Clamp stock so it cannot move.
 Adjust your stance so that you do not lose your balance if the tool
slips.
 Chip or cut with the blade pointing away from yourself.
 Keep your hands and body behind the cutting edge.
 Use a wooden or plastic mallet with a large striking face on all
chisels. Only heavy-duty or framing chisels are made of a solid or
molded handle that can be struck with a steel hammer.
 Make finishing or paring cuts with hand pressure alone.
 When keeping the chisels on the work bench, always place them
with the bevel side up.
 Place chisels safely within the plastic protective caps to cover
cutting edges when not in use.
 Replace any chisel that is bent or shows dents, cracks, chips, or
excessive wear.
  Store chisels in a "storage roll," a cloth or plastic bag with slots for
each chisel, and keep them in a drawer or tray.
 Replace broken or splintered handles.
 Sharpen cutting edges as often as necessary.
 Wear eye protection if there is a risk of eye injury from particles
released from the workpiece or when sharpening.

What should I avoid doing?

 Do not use a wood chisel as a pry or a wedge.
 Do not use a wood chisel on metal.
 Do not hold the work with one hand while chiseling with the other
hand.
 Do not use an all-steel chisel with a mushroomed face or a
chipped edge. Redress with a file or whetstone.
 Do not use a grinder to redress heat-treated tools. Use a
whetstone.
 Do not use a dull chisel.

Blasting precautions you must take

By Joe Nawrocki|  October 24, 2018
Ensure all of your personnel are at a safe distance when
a blast is set to occur. Photo courtesy of Dyno Nobel

Blasting is essential to the mining industry.

Explosives provide the energy to break and loosen the rock

necessary for processing. To effectively blast rock, a
tremendous amount of energy must be released in a very
short period of time. If not done correctly, this energy
release can cause damage, injury or death.

The challenge in blasting is to control the energy to break

and move the rock without causing flyrock, high vibration or
airblast.

Proper planning
When blasting, there are at least two major safety concerns.
One is premature detonation. The other is flyrock.

Premature detonation involves an unplanned detonation

during the loading or tying-in procedures, or while awaiting
scheduled firing. Explosives require heat or shock energy to
begin the detonation process. Therefore, preventing
contacts with these sources of energy is of utmost
importance.

Examples of unwanted contact could include explosives

being run over by equipment, being exposed to a fire on the
blast pattern, being exposed to lightning strikes or having a
drill intersect a loaded hole. To prevent such hazards,
consider the following:

 Using cones or berms, demarcate the blast site (the area

where holes are loaded or in the process of being loaded).
 Within the blast site, have only the personnel and equipment
necessary to load the blast.
 Complete drilling prior to commencement of loading, or have
the drill at a distance where it cannot possibly intersect a
loaded hole. Also, consider drills have been prone to fires
when hydraulic lines burst onto a hot engine or compressor.

Regardless of the initiation system being used, always

evacuate the area at the approach of an electrical storm.
Have an evacuation plan in place, and make sure everyone
is familiar with it.

Avoiding flyrock
A second blasting safety concern is flyrock. Flyrock is more
common than premature detonation and poses a threat not
only to those on the quarry property, but also to those in
surrounding communities. This is why tremendous emphasis
is placed on preventing flyrock by training and technological
advancements.

Rock is fragmented and moved by applying explosives

energy to the rock. The relationship between the energy and
the volume or weight of rock is called powder factor. It is
stated in either tons of rock per pound of explosives or
pounds of explosives per cu. yd. of rock.

Industry standards define the range of powder factor based

on geology and/or the type of blasting being performed. The
powder factor of the overall blast is important, but the
powder factor of every hole segment drives the possibility of
flyrock.

Most flyrock incidents are a result of a high powder factor in

a localized area of one or several holes. This may cause
rock to be thrown more than 2,000 ft.

The cause of the high-localized powder factor usually occurs

as a result of light burdens on the front row of holes. Burden
is the measurement from the hole to the nearest free face.

In most cases, due to either geology or backbreak from a

previous blast, burdens are variable along the length of the
explosives charge. Adjusting the explosives charge to match
the amount of rock (burden) is key to maintain a proper
localized powder factor and prevent flyrock.
Over the past couple of decades, technology was developed
to aid in measuring this variable burden. Two-dimensional
and three-dimensional laser profilers, photogrammetry and
now drones can accurately measure burden and display it to
the blaster in graphic and table form.

To use these technologies, the open face must be

completely clear and visible prior to loading holes. In fact, for
best results, the face should be mucked out prior to layout
so holes can be placed in the proper position and require
less loading adjustments.

Another reason for a high-localized powder factor may be

that the amount of rock present may be proper, but too
much explosives charge is present in an area due to cracks,
seams or voids.

The proper action to prevent this is to maintain an accurate

drill log. No high technology here – just accurate note-taking
of these conditions by the driller. The drill log should also
provide information on the amount of loose or soft material
in the collar zone so the blaster can make loading
adjustments and prevent vertical flyrock.

Other details to consider

Improper blast area security during a blast event has been
responsible for a number of injuries and fatalities over the
years. The blaster and quarry management should develop
a plan ensuring that, prior to the blast, an inspection is made
to determine that the area is evacuated, that guards are
posted at all entrances to the pit, and that the guards are in
communication with the pit foreman and blaster.

Recently, it seems more operations rely on cell phones for

communication during a blast event. Personally, I believe
that two-way radios are a better choice for communication
with the guards, pit foreman and blaster. This allows for
instant access to the blaster should a breach in security be
detected just prior to detonation.

As in any venture, the quality control and attention to detail

put into a task will directly affect the results. Blasting safety
is no different. Properly trained blasters, accurate
measurements and proper attention to every safety
regulation will ensure consistent, safe blasts.

The importance of cleaner safety

Cleaners face risks and hazards ranging from
musculoskeletal disorders to work-related skin
disease daily. Work-related skin diseases include:


o dermatitis (dry, sore, flaky skin)

o eczema
o skin allergies
o asthma,
o skin burns, damage to the eyes
Did you know:


o Each year in the UK there is an estimated

8,000 new cases1 of self-reported skin
disease that were caused or made worse by
work.
o The leading causes for work-related skin
disease in the UK are wet work and soap &
cleaners2.
o Approximately 4 million working days are
estimated to be lost each year in the UK,
owing to absenteeism resulting from work-
related skin disorders3.
It is essential that cleaners understand and follow
procedures when using cleaning agents to prevent
close contact with toxic or corrosive substances
that can have a negative effect on their health. In
this article we will outline 5 essential tips for health
and safety for cleaners.

What can cleaners do to maintain

workplace safety?
1. Keep skin hydrated
It's vital that cleaners practice good personal
hygiene to ensure a safe working environment,
protect customers from illnesses, and prevent a
loss of reputation for your organisation.
Personal hygiene refers to all the things we do to
keep ourselves clean and healthy and protect
ourselves from gastric infectious diseases, colds,
and the flu.
Cleaners should be provided with the right PPE.
Single-use gloves, should be thrown away after
each task. Remember, gloves are not a
replacement for hand washing. Cleaners must
wash their hands both before and after using
gloves to prevent the spread of bacteria.
Tip: If skin comes into contact with an allergen or
irritant, we recommend rinsing the affected skin
with warm water and an emollient (lotion, spray,
cream – to soothe and hydrate the skin) as soon as
possible. Emollients help prevent patches of
inflammation and flare-ups of skin disease.

2. Prevent slips by restricting access

Cleaners must assess the risk from slips and trips
and take reasonable precautions. Some simple
things cleaners might consider as part of their
assessment are spillages and wet or dirty floors.
Most slips happen on wet or dirty floors4. Ensure
cleaning happens at the right time and is carried
out in the correct manner, using the right products
and equipment for the job. Ensure wet floors signs
are always used.
People often slip on floors that have been left wet
after cleaning. Signs and cones only warn of a
hazard, they do not prevent people from entering
the area. If the spill is not visible, they are usually
ignored.
Tip: If safe to do so, prevent access to smooth wet
floors by using barriers, locking doors, or cleaning
in sections.

3. Follow correct procedures

Following an effective cleaning procedure is vital for
preventing health and safety risks. It ensures that
harmful microorganisms are fully removed, and not
inadvertently spread, and that any additional risks
are minimised. This has been particularly true
during the Covid-19 pandemic whereby people
have focused on the importance of cleanliness
even more so than usual.
As a minimum, the government
recommends5 wiping down frequently touched
surfaces twice a day, and one of these should be at
the beginning or the end of the working day.
Cleaning frequency should increase as the number
of people using the space increases, whether they
are entering and exiting the setting and access to
handwashing and hand-sanitising facilities.
After you have finished the six stages of cleaning,
the surface will be fully cleaned and most, or
hopefully all, microorganisms will have been
destroyed depending on which cleaning products
you have used.
Tip: Reducing clutter and removing difficult to clean
items can make cleaning easier.

4. Use containers
It is highly unlikely that any adult would ever think
of drinking a cleaning substance intentionally, but it
is still common to find food or drink containers
being used to store hazardous cleaning
substances. This should not be done.
Many cleaning companies will buy their cleaning
products in bulk, and then decant them into smaller
containers to take onto sites and cleaning jobs.
Cleaners must follow their organisations
procedures for decanting hazardous products and
ensure that the allocated containers are used.
Tip: Make sure that all containers are appropriately
labelled, it is safe to decant the chemical substance
in question, nothing is unlabelled, and nothing from
an unlabelled container is used.

5. Training and supervision

Organisations have a legal responsibility to ensure
cleaners have a safe working environment. This
means that cleaners are given appropriate training
and personal protective equipment where required.
Are you confident that your employees and
colleagues know how to follow your cleaning
procedures and manage work-related risks?
 
 Buffing and
Polishing Safety
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Buffing and Polishing Safety

Buffing wheels have two sections: the Safe area and the
Unsafe area. The Safe area covers the section of the
buffing wheel that is rotating away from the workpiece.
The Unsafe area covers the other half of the buffing
wheel that is rotating toward the workpiece. These
sections are so delineated because of the way that a
workpiece would be pulled if it slips out of your fingers
and tossed by the motion of the wheel. Objects that are
thrown by the buffing wheel can be traveling at very
high speeds and can result in very unpleasant or even
dangerous accidents if they are thrown back at you like
they are when caught in the Unsafe region. On the other
hand, while objects caught in the Safe region will be
tossed with similar speeds, the Safe region will cause the
piece to be sucked away from you, preventing
potentially painful accidents.

Before starting to polish at any time, be sure to check

which way your wheel is turning so you can adjust your
position and hold the piece in a Safe region.
Additionally, be aware of the shape of the object you are
polishing: if it has sharp corners, edges or hooks, you
will want to be sure to hold it to the wheel so that the
edge is flowing away from the buff to keep the part from
catching on your wheel and flying dangerously away
from you.

When it comes to clothing when buffing, there are

several things that you should be aware of and
consider:
 

 Safety goggles, you should always wear them to prevent

eye injury that might be cause by flying debris or
accidentally thrown objects that get caught on the
wheel. If you do not plan to wear safety glasses of some
sort, make sure that the polishing motor you have is
being used behind a protective plate to keep the debris
from flying toward you.
 Avoid wearing loose clothing that could get caught in the
fast moving and spinning parts of your buffing
equipment. Otherwise, be sure to wear a jeweler’s apron
to keep loose clothing tied back and out of danger.
 Either wear a dust mask or respirator and work in a well
ventilated area or use a dust collecting machine to avoid
inhaling dust and other debris into your lungs. The dust
from polishing and buffing can sometimes be hazardous
 to your health if you inhale large quantities of it
frequently.
 Wear gloves or use hand vises and wedge clamps to keep
a firm grip on the workpieces you are polishing.
Sometimes the metals can become hot while you work
which can result in minor burns or dangerous dropping of
the piece. By using gloves and other holding equipment,
you can protect yourself and the work you are doing.