Lesson 1: The Importance of Safety in Machine Shop
THE IMPORTANCE OF SAFETY IN THE MACHINE SHOP
Every year thousands of workers are hurt on the job. Many workers are also killed while working. An injured worker suffers pain and loses time and money. The worker’s family is worried. The employer also loses money.
You are getting ready to practice in a machine shop training class and to start a career as a machine shop worker Now is the time to learn about safety, before you start the classes and before you get a job.
As a machine shop worker, what can you do to make your shop a safer place? What can you learn now that will help you prevent accidents later? The main thing is to learn an attitude of safety. An attitude of safety is awareness at all times about where you are, what you are doing, and what others are doing around you. Along with awareness, you need to know the safety rules, and to want to keep yourself and others safe and free from accidents. Awareness, knowledge, and caring are the three parts of an attitude of safety.
Reading Technique: Answer Comprehension Questions About What You Have Read
We read to comprehend (understand) ideas. In the machine shop classes, the teacher will ask you to read from your textbook and be able to answer questions that show you understand.
Let’s practice with the reading from above.
Directions: Take out a sheet of paper and pen or pencil.
Write an answer to each of the questions below. Use words from the reading. Check what you write with your teacher.
- What can happen to a worker and his or her family because of an accident at work?
- What does your employer lose when you are injured at work?
- What is the most important thing you can do to be safe at work?
- What are three things to make an attitude of safety?
- When is safety important?
Mark the Unsafe Working Conditions
Safe and Unsafe Working Conditions
Here is a list of the unsafe working conditions form the picture on the page before this. Identify the ones you found in the picture.
- Liquid is spilled and not cleaned up. Someone could slip.
- The worker is not picking up the box correctly. He will hurt his back.
- The worker is wearing sandals. If he drops the box, he will hurt his feet.
- The electrical socket has too many electric cords in it.
- The can of oily rags is too close to the heater.
- The chemicals are stored in the open and are too close to the heat. Chemicals break-down more quickly near heat.
- The worker is smoking near the can of oily rags.
- The worker at the lathe has not cleaned up his work area lately. Someone could fall on the metal chips.
- On the right, two of the workers are playing around. They could fall; they could push each other into the machine; they are disturbing the other workers.
- The male worker is leaning on the machine.
- He is standing close to the grinding without protection for his eyes.
- He is talking to the woman and distracting her from her work.
- The woman worker is listening to the man and not paying attention to her work.
- She has no eye protection while she is grinding.
- She has no leather apron to protect her clothes from sparks.
- Her hair is loose and could get caught in one of the machines; she should pin it up or wear a hat.
Number of unsafe conditions I found:
Rate yourself on safety from the chart below:
Number Correct Your Rating
14 or 16……….We want to work with you!
11 to 13………..Very aware. Congratulations!
8 to 10………..Aware. You found many of the hazards.
7 or less……..Go back and find the ones you missed in the picture
Say it Again!
In-class exercise
Directions: Tell another person in your own words why you think safety is important. Find another student to practice with. The student should ask you to explain why safety is important.
Student: “Tell me why safety in the machine shop is important.”
Your answer: (Tell the other student–in your own words.)
End of Lesson Questions
