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the gutters, or for any other purpose, take some extra
precautions. Most ladders sold for household use are
type III light-duty ladders, rated for a maximum load of
200 pounds (user plus materials). If the ladder must
carry more weight than that, select a type II medium-
duty ladder (up to 225 pounds) or a type I heavy-duty
ladder (up to 250 pounds). Most manufacturers label
ladders with their duty rating or type number.
Remember, don’t overload your ladder.
Hobby Shop Equipment
If you have or use a hobby or craft shop, you should
not allow bench, table, or work areas to become
cluttered. Periodically remove excess trim and scrap to
proper containers to prevent excessive accumulation.
Return tools to their proper place when you no longer
need them. Clean machines and floor areas after use.
You must always wear the correct PPE.
Wear snug clothing when operating machinery and
equipment. Do not operate equipment while wearing a
necktie or scarf or anything that could become entangled
in the revolving machinery. Do NOT wear gloves when
working with drills, ripsaws, table saws, and so on.
Make sure you know the location of the power switch.
Remove all jewelry. Use a brush, not your hands, to
remove chips or cuttings.
Check drill bits to make sure they are straight and
sharp. Make sure you tighten all chucks and clamps
securely. Stop all equipment when making adjustments.
NEVER reach around revolving equipment. You must
be careful of kickback or violent throwback of the
material you are feeding. Inspect saw blades to make
sure they are in good condition and are free of gum or
adhered resins. Check all machine safety guards. They
should be substantial, in place, and properly aligned.
Never operate the equipment without the safety guards,
spreader, and anti-kickback fingers in place and
properly adjusted. Set a saw blade to the proper cutting
height. Adjust the fence or gauge, and secure it firmly.
When using equipment having blades, shut off the
power and let the blade stop rotating before cleaning
away debris. Never reach over or under the blade while
operating the saw. Hold the stock firmly against the table
and fence, and feed with even pressure within the
capacity of the saw to take the load. Do not stand directly
in line with stock you are putting through.
Note any clicking sound of a band saw, which
indicates a cracked blade. Do NOT operate the saw if
you hear that sound. Inspect the saw for excessive
“burning” and buildup of gum or resins on the blade of
wheel surfaces. Use the proper size blade for the work.
Do not cut small radius work on a wide band.
Conversely, be sure the blade is as wide as the work will
permit.
Do not stop or slow a saw by braking with a piece
of wood. Permit natural rundown of the saw. Inspect the
condition of the material. Test for safe depth of cut on a
piece of soft, straight stock before proceeding.
Electricity
Electricity has made life in the home much more
comfortable and housework much easier. However,
electricity is not a blessing without blemishes.
Electricity at home can be either a servant or a killer. It
all depends on how you handle it. To keep electricity in
your home your servant, NOT your killer, obey the
safety rules for each part of your home.
Install ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) near
bathroom and kitchen sinks as well as outdoors. GFCIs
are shock-protection devices that detect electrical faults
to prevent people from being seriously injured or killed.
They detect electrical faults by monitoring circuit
leakage to ground. When leakage exceeds 5 milliamps,
the GFCI breaks the circuit, thereby preventing an
electric shock. You can easily install them in the place
of existing outlets, and they are relatively inexpensive.
Electrical appliances or other electrical items do not
normally present a shock hazard to you unless they are
defective. How do you reduce shock hazard? You
should inspect the item before and after use, follow all
safety standards, and use only materials approved by
testing laboratories. Even when an electrical item in
your home becomes defective, you can reduce the
chance of its becoming a shock hazard to you. You do
that by keeping your body from becoming part of the
electrical circuit. A 110-volt house current kills more
people annually than any other voltage. It takes less
electricity to kill a person than it does to light a 10-watt
light bulb. If you do not maintain the electrical
equipment and systems in your home, they can be a
threat to you and your family’s safety.
Fires
In 1991, 3,500 Americans died and 21,275 were
injured in home fires. That’s roughly about 15 people a
day. Most home fires result from unattended cooking,
careless smoking habits, overloaded electrical circuits,
and children playing with matches. You and your family
should know in advance what to do in case of fire.
Obviously, you should do everything possible to
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