Water jet cutting in San Francisco, CA is a great way to make clean cuts through all sorts of materials, including wood, stone, glass, ceramic, stainless steel and brass. But like all heavy machine cutting, there are some risks to your personal safety that need to be carefully considered before you fire up the equipment and get to work. As you can imagine, the trades, which include construction and home repair industries, see a high amount of injuries each year.
To help you with your or your client’s project, the pros have compiled the following list of basic safety tips.
Protect your eyes
One of the most commonly overlooked safety precautions is protective eyewear. You may be thinking, “What are the chances of anything hitting me in the eye? They’re small enough targets.” But the reality is that you are likely to get some amount of debris in your eyes because they are needed to line up power tools before making and during cuts.
In making sure that we are cutting on a straight line or drilling in exactly the right place, our eyes often line up perfectly with the debris being kicked up by the tool itself. Often times, the smaller debris can pose a big problem and cause damage to your eyes. If not removed, it can scratch the surface of your eye and cause permanent damage.
Clean your work area
When you are doing any type of work using water jet cutting in San Francisco, CA, be certain that the entire area is clean. Building materials, extension cords and tools are the perfect tripping hazards when you’re carrying something heavy or stepping backward. Not only that, but a cluttered workspace can also result in damage to your expensive equipment. By keeping the area around you free of clutter, you greatly limit the risk of unnecessary problems.
Be aware of your surroundings
Like the rule about having a clean work area, being aware of your surroundings is a must—especially if you are working as part of a larger team. Take care to watch for potential dangers such as exposed wiring, unmarked hazards and other people when operating powerful water jet cutting equipment. If you notice anything that could pose a problem for one of your team members, go out of your way to alert them or deal with the problem ASAP.
Be confident in your work
Once you have familiarized yourself with the equipment you are using and are ready to get started, it’s important that you prepare mentally. This means going over designs, measuring your cuts, checking your tools and removing anything from your path that could make achieving a smooth, clean cut a problem. The more you start and stop a cut, the more chance there is for an accident or something to go wrong.
Do you have questions or concerns about water jet cutting in San Francisco, CA? Contact us at Mach 1 Waterjet, Inc. today for a consultation and a complete list of services.