Much has been made, rightfully so, about my liability in the event that someone gets injured while using equipment and/or tools in my shop during a club event. As a group, a major part of our ‘mission’ is to both encourage shop safety and provide the skills/knowledge to make that possible.
As a first step toward addressing those concerns, please consider the following safety guidelines before participating in any activities involving use of tools in the shop. It is assumed that every member will read, understand, and adopt these guidelines at all club events, and hopefully in their own shops as well.
Each and every individual attending a club event will be considered a consenting adult with a full understanding of the potential for injury inherent in the use of woodworking equipment and tools. If you operate machinery or use tools in the shop, you are doing so at your own risk!
You will use tools only with a proper understanding of how they work and how to use them safely and properly. If you do not know, ask! There are many members who can demonstrate safe and proper use of equipment, and user manuals are available if needed.
It is strongly advised that you bring any personal protection items (safety glasses, hearing protection, etc) needed. I do not, and cannot, provide ample numbers of these items for the entire group – come prepared!
Be smart – if a task or operation seems unsafe, it probably is! Step back, rethink, ask for help….but don’t proceed until you are comfortable and convinced that whatever you are about to do is safe.
I do my very best to keep all machinery in good working order. If you find otherwise, please do not use the equipment and let me know immediately so the problem can be addressed.
Thank you all. I will post this as a ‘sticky’ so it remains easily accessible for all to read. If you have suggestions that would improve this document, please forward them to me in a Private Message so I can amend as needed.
David Richardson, aka Just_George
