Section 8
Safety

Using tools

8B1 Recall that eye protection must be worn when using tools to prevent eye damage from small metal particles (swarf).

When drilling, especially metal, chipping called swarf, which are small particles, are thrown off and these would particularly cause eye damage. The risk is even greater when drilling brass as brass being none magnetic, if you did get swarf in your eye the surgeon could not use a magnet to help recover the swarf, which they might do with some steels which are magnetic.

8B2 Recall that all tools, including power tools, can be hazardous and should be handled with care and appropriate precautions taken.

 Even the humble screwdriver could cause up injury is it slips out of a screw head and hits your hand, for instance, so always consider what could happen and avoid accidents.

 With the drill, particularly a power drill, it is a little more obvious that injury could occur as a drill is intended to cut but ensure that it cut in the right place - such as a hole through metal wood etc.

 Again the saw is intended to cut so make sure it is only the piece that you are working on the is cut. Even a small saw like this one has a very sharp blade and with the small teeth can easily cut into your fingers etc !!!

 Few people know about the damage that a file can cause if it does not have a proper handle. The handle end if a file has a pointed "tang" which is inserted into a handle and should the handle become detached and the operator uses the file with the handle they risk stabbing their hand with the file's tang. The file with its handle attached is shown in the picture below. Be aware that sometimes is the handle is wooden that it can dry out and slip off the tang leading to danger!!

Remember to keep all actions where there is a chance of impact with hand, face or any other part of the body under proper control.

8B7 Recall that eye protection must be worn when soldering to prevent solder or flux from splashing into the eyes.

Both the flux and the solder is at very high temperature and both can spit if the surface of the board is damp due to the fact that the water quickly turns to steam and when mixed with the flux or solder created minor explosions or spitting.

Flux and solder must NOT be allowed to reach your eyes, else damage could occur so the wearing of protective goggles is necessary.

Recall that a soldering-iron stand must be used to avoid skin contact with the hot bit of the iron when not in use.

A soldering iron bit is the hot part and the stand is the relatively cool part. A soldering stand is used when the soldering iron is not in use to try to avoid contact between the soldering iron bit and your skin which would be readily burned.

The temperature of the soldering bit may reach 400℃ or even higher!

There are parts of even the soldering iron stand which get hot namely the spring,if the stand has one, into which the iron is placed. This spring also acts as a heat sink to take away heat from the tip and reduce decay and thus increases the life of the tip.

Also keep the cleaning pad in the stand damp - not soaking wet - so that you can readily clean the tip of the soldering iron.
NEVER have WATER near by when you are using mains electricity

Keep that drink's cup away from your work area.

Recall that soldering work stations must be well ventilated to avoid inhalation of solder fumes, which can cause breathing problems particularly to asthmatics.

When soldering fumes are given off from electronic solder which is a special type of solder which is called "cored" solder. The core holds the "flux" which enhances the cleaning of the surfaces to be joined. The flux when it becomes hot burns and gives off a vapour which should not be inhaled as there is the possibility of it causing breathing problems including asthma.

The origin of some of the text on this page is from the RSGB with additions by the web master