There’s nothing quite like a satin-smooth finish on a woodworking project. A surface that begs to be touched. For smaller projects, it just seems natural to pick the piece up and turn it in your hands.

Unfortunately, making that finish can require the use of some pretty nasty chemicals and other products. Many of them are essential to the process, so that’s why safety has to be key when handling and applying them.

• Always use splash goggles when handling finishes and chemicals.
• Many finishes and chemicals give off noxious fumes. Apply these in a well-ventilated place and use a chemical rated respirator.
• Watch out for flammables. Chemicals and finishes that have the potential to catch fire should be applied away from open flames (think about standing pilot lights and sparks).
• If you plan on spraying your finish (a favorite method for lacquer), do so in a dedicated spray booth with an explosion-proof fan to draw the overspray out of the area.
• Fuming wood with ammonia is a classic way to get an Arts and Crafts finish, but the ammonia used for this purpose is considerably stronger than household ammonia.  If you use this method, be extremely careful!
• Rags soaked in oil-based finishes (linseed oil is well known for this) can burst into flame if left wet and wadded up.  Spread the rags out flat to dry and, once they are fully dry and hard, you can discard them.
• Store your flammable finishes in a fireproof cabinet, and keep them out of the reach of children

One other option you might consider is trying some of the newer water-based  finish products.  The formulations have improved greatly since they were first introduced, and have become very common finishes in home shops.  They apply easily and clean up with plain water.

Similar precautions should also be used for other shop chemicals.  Pitch removers, lubricants and other  chemicals should also be used carefully.

There’s this old woodworking joke.

An old woodworker goes to his doctor and tells the M.D. that he’s worried about his wife’s hearing.

“I’ll tell you what,” says the doc, “Go home and give her this test…”

Later that day, the woodworker stands 40 feet behind his wife and asks, “Honey, what’s for dinner?” No answer. Worried, he moves to 30 feet and asks, “Honey, what’s for dinner?” Still no answer. He moves to 20 feet, then ten, then, finally, he’s right behind her and asks, “Honey, what’s for dinner.”

“For the fifth time,” she says, exasperated, “it’s chicken!”

While it may seem funny, hearing loss is no laughing matter. Repetitive exposure to loud noise results in cumulative damage to the sensitive hearing receptors deep in the ears. Routers, circular saws, thickness planers, brad nailers and dozens of other power tools can cause damage in a very short amount of time.

How long? The Centers for Disease Control have a page on hearing protection that shows exposure to very loud sounds can do damage in less than one minute.

The solution? Well, hearing protection in the form of muffs or plugs is an excellent suggestion. Be sure to wear them every time – again, some loud noises can do damage in a very short time.

Ears are not the only vulnerable opening on your body. Sawdust and chemical vapors from finishes and other noxious chemicals can also wreak havoc on your lungs. Sawdust has been shown to cause irritation , allergic reactions and certain types of cancer.

Working in a well-ventilated area is a great idea, but, when the dust and other chemical vapors get thick in the air, it’s a good idea to reach for a respirator, rely on good dust collection and force air circulation to remove dust and chemical from the air.

By keeping your ears and lungs healthy, the next time you tell a joke, you’ll be able to hear your audience’s laughter and laugh along with them.

Stop for a moment and take a look around you. What do you see? The beat-up sofa in the living room? Photos of children or grandchildren on an end table? The dog asleep on the floor next to your computer desk?

Living in the Tampa Bay area, I have to often stop myself and take a look at the gorgeous surroundings – palm trees, deep azure skies and the powder-fine white sand laid out like a doormat in front of the glistening blue-green Gulf of Mexico.

There are few things in this world as precious as your eyesight. We humans have developed quite a reliance on this sense. So, it’s no question that protecting your eyesight is a top priority when it comes to woodworking.

Perhaps it’s no coincidence that Norm Abram gives eye safety such an important role in his safety schpeil before he touches a power tool during the New Yankee Workshop.

…And, remember, there is no more important safety rule than to wear these **taps glasses** safety glasses.

How can eye injuries occur? Well, something could fly into your eye while cutting, routing or doing some other kind of work. Impact-rated safety glasses – no matter what tool you are working with – can help keep your eyes safe.

I had a mishap a few years ago when I caught a piece of aluminum in my eye while cutting a screen door jamb. The bill for the ER visit and prescriptions cost more than $200 out of my pocket – even after insurance. I could have bought a lot of safety glasses and saved myself a lot of pain and discomfort if I had thought ahead.

Another way you can get hurt is by sawdust getting into your eye. I heard a story about a woodworker who got some sawdust in his eye on a windy day. He rubbed his eye, ended up scratching his cornea (the clear eye covering) and got an infection. Never rub your eyes when you get something in them – rinse them out with water or an eyewash solution.

And, if you are a wood turner, a full face shield is a great idea. Pieces spinning at high speed on a lathe could fly apart if there is a weakness in the wood or they come off the live or cup center. An impact with your face could be a devastating injury. Hey, hockey goalies don’t mind wearing full face protection, why should you?

You never know – just taking some simple precautions, you’ll be seeing well into the future.

Think of the hardest wood you have ever worked with. What would it be? Hard maple? Ipe? Brazilian cherry?

Now, think about how easy it was to work with. The bandsaw that sliced through the piece with ease. The table saw that crosscut the board cleanly. The drill press that bored a straight, deep hole with little struggle.

Now, imagine those tools slicing through bone or flesh? Ouch.

It’s true that power tools can bite hard. And fast. According to studies conducted by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), some of the most common power tool accidents occur in the following scenarios:

• Employees can be injured if their hands get too close to the blade, particularly when working on small pieces of stock. The size of the piece dictates that the operator’s hand be close to the blade. Accidents can occur when stock unexpectedly moves or when a worker’s hand slips.
• Stock can get stuck in a blade and actually pull the operator’s hands into the machine.
• Employees can be injured if the machine or its guard is not properly adjusted or maintained. An improperly adjusted radial saw, for example, might not return to its starting position after making a cut.
• If the machine has controls that are not recessed or remote, and the equipment is accidentally started, a worker’s hands may be caught at the point of operation.
• Contact also can occur during machine repair or cleaning if care is not taken to de-energize the machine—that is, if lockout/tagout procedures are not followed.
• An employee may be injured if he or she reaches in to clean a saw or remove a piece of wood after the saw has been turned off, but is still coasting or idling. Also, saw blades often move so fast that it can be difficult to determine whether they are moving. This is especially a problem under fluorescent lighting.

One additional way woodworkers can be hurt is by tripping. I can’t count the number of times in the middle of a project I have stopped, looked down and saw a tangle of power cords under my feet. Sure, it might be easy to navigate while looking down and taking my time, but those loose tails could snag my foot while carrying something heavy…

So, what to do? Well, take the time to read your owner’s manual. Seriously. Keeping your tools properly maintained, adjusted and using the guards that came with them, you can reduce the likelihood of injury. Using hold-downs, featherboards and push sticks can also help.

But, most importantly, keeping your mind on your work is the number one tip to remember when working with your tools. All the safety guards in the world are not going to help you if you are not paying attention.