Woodworking safety should be a given whenever you step in your shop. This is especially true of your eyes. Eyes are one of the most sensitive and easily damaged areas of the body and they can be easily injured by the following woodworking dangers:
- Flying Debris – When working with wood, flying debris is common. This is especially true with power tools. Saws, planers, sanders, drills, and even hammers can cause small to large chunks of wood to fly through the air. This debris can cause serious damage to your eyes.
- Wood Dust – Few people stop to consider the dangers wood dust poses to their eyes. A thin coating of wood dust can cause skin irritation, red eyes, and even infections. Some people even have serious and potentially dangerous allergic reaction to wood dust.
How can you avoid these dangers? A pair of goggles is often all you need to keep your eyes safe from small wood chips and floating dust. However, it may not be enough to keep your eyes 100% safe..
That’s why your woodworking shop should also have a sink or an eye wash. Eye washes are designed to safely remove objects, such as splinters and wood dust, from your eyes with a gentle, steady stream of water.
Some people will close their eyes or look away from their project while working, but this is an obvious mistake. The danger of flying debris and dust does not overwhelm the need for carefully watching what you’re doing while working with power tools.
