Thread: Sawstop Bandsaw

Originally Posted by AcryNom

A 12 hour shift for a younger worker can be draining...after 10 hours in a hot environment especially. If they would give a little bit more respect and care we wouldn't have to worry about this but...

One idea I thought of was putting a monitor in front of the machine scrolling through different bandsaw accidents

Any ideas?

Do what we do, rotate jobs in the workshop. three hours on a job, have a break then onto a different job. You can't be serious in understanding what the issues are you? Also every manager should rotate through all the jobs on the floor every six months to bring themselves up to speed on what issues need attention.

Originally Posted by Mini

Do what we do, rotate jobs in the workshop. three hours on a job, have a break then onto a different job. You can't be serious in understanding what the issues are you? Also every manager should rotate through all the jobs on the floor every six months to bring themselves up to speed on what issues need attention.

Like the WorkSafe ads say; Would you do what you ask your workers to do?

Yeah Sturdee,

They do get a 10 minute break every hour and 50 minutes. We work in an factory that is open 24/6 and there's no chance that we can cut the shift time down unfortunately. And it's also not like they're using a bandsaw their whole shift. They're using it just to cut up scrap, or to rough cut parts after forming them. There's no reason their hands should even come close to the blade but...this is happening.

I've worked many years on the plant floor, and have never once been careless (even after a 12 hour shift on the hottest summer day) on the bandsaw because no power tool should be treated without respect.

It's not the metal working type of environment, it's plastic. Lots of ovens, and lots of fans. Not all of the guys are young, but the younger guys seem to be more prone to accidents.

The last two accidents, even with full proper training, were at the beginning of the shift. They weren't life threatening; but as the WorkSafe adds also say: "How can we make work safer?"

My question is:
How can we make the bandsaw safer? Better training, different shifts, more breaks, rotating jobs...it's all being done. Now we are looking for a more mechanical way to make them safer.

Originally Posted by AcryNom

My question is:
How can we make the bandsaw safer? Better training, different shifts, more breaks, rotating jobs...it's all being done. Now we are looking for a more mechanical way to make them safer.

With all respect to many years of experience that I'm not pretending to have, it is my firm belief that, with proper training, any machine can be safely operated without ANY guards other than those needed to stop it throwing things at you. Bandsaws didn't have full steel cases, jointers didn't have cutter guards and people were trained how to use them safely in that state and had the common sense to keep their fingers away from sharp moving blades.

We don't need to be making machines safer, we need to be teaching people how to use them safely.

I'm also fully expecting a barrage of outraged replies to this - I can take it

Elanjacobs and only 22. You are talking like an old man. I hole heartedly agree with you. We are in an era where no matter what happens "Its not Your fault", go and blame someone else. How far do you go? OK you cut off a finger on a bench saw, who is to blame? The bloke who made the blade? Or the bloke that made the electricity that caused the blade to spin?
Its all BS. We have to take the responsibility on our own shoulders. Education is part of it but common sense is also a part of it. In industry there would be trainers to instruct and test operators who would walk away with proper certification to carry out certain works.
In the home workshop it is a different story. What do we do if we buy a machine that we have not any knowledge of operating? Maybe the seller could give guidance? Maybe we should seek advice from this Forum? Or maybe get the thing in operational mode and study the manual while looking over the machine before we turn it on. Then use our commonsense and teach ourselves how to operate it
Accidents do happen, but are they really accidents?

Originally Posted by chambezio

What do we do if we buy a machine that we have not any knowledge of operating? Maybe the seller could give guidance? Maybe we should seek advice from this Forum? Or maybe get the thing in operational mode and study the manual while looking over the machine before we turn it on. Then use our commonsense and teach ourselves how to operate it
Accidents do happen, but are they really accidents?

And with youtube it's even easier to learn.

When you hit super hard grain or a stone and the blade explodes, that's an accident. When bits of you get cut off because you're doing something you shouldn't, that's natural selection

Now a day, it's the employers fault.

If someone cuts themself? It's not the employee's fault. It's the company's fault.

"How could they let you work with a dangerous machine like that!" says Workplace Safety...and shut that machine down until they come assess the situation and we find a solution to make that machine safer.

It's ridiculous in some situations. I can understand that they're trying to make the companies that don't practice safety, safe. But most companies do their hardest and they still get screwed.

Originally Posted by elanjacobs

And with youtube it's even easier to learn.

When you hit super hard grain or a stone and the blade explodes, that's an accident. When bits of you get cut off because you're doing something you shouldn't, that's natural selection

Years ago I was cutting some raw 16mm mr pyneboard and noticed a 1/4" bolt laying on its side embedded in the board. As luck would have it, it was not in line to be cut. Just imagine if it was embedded in a sheet of white board....you would have no hope of seeing it until the blade started to cut it and then what?
Actually, natural selection should be enforced a little harder, that way the neanderthals that get parts cut off for monetary gain would be thinner on the ground and maybe we would be better off.

Originally Posted by chambezio

Years ago I was cutting some raw 16mm mr pyneboard and noticed a 1/4" bolt laying on its side embedded in the board. As luck would have it, it was not in line to be cut. Just imagine if it was embedded in a sheet of white board....you would have no hope of seeing it until the blade started to cut it and then what?

A panel saw and a half decent circular saw would cut straight through it. You'd hear a nasty noise, see some sparks and that's about it; probably need to sharpen the blade as well. A jigsaw would go blunt in 2 seconds and stop cutting.