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Milling
Safety
Milling Machine
Safety
Eye Safety-Wear
safety glasses or safety goggles at all times in the shop! If a milling
machine has a guard or shield to deflect chips, it does not replace the
need to wear safety glasses.
House Keeping-The
shop floor should be kept clear of chips, debris, and pieces of material.
Any fluids such as coolant or oil should be cleaned up immediately.
| Hand Safety-
One of the most common causes of hand injuries is contact with
cutting edges. The cutting edge may be moving which is very
dangerous, but even an edge that is not moving can inflict a severe
cut if you move your hand over it very fast. When operating a
milling machine, you should not be wearing anything on your hands,
fingers, or forearms-this includes long sleeves and gloves. Short
sleeves should be worn in the shop, or long sleeves should be rolled
up above the elbows. Gloves should be worn when handling sharp
cutters or pieces of material, and then stay away from any operating
machinery (Figure 1). Gloves should always be removed before any
machine in the area is started. Long hair should be tied back. Also,
loose clothing should not be worn. |
Figure 1. Use gloves to protect your
hands when handling sharp objects.
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Figure 2. An apron will help
keep you clean as well as safe
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Proper Attire-An
apron is recommended for use in the shop both to help keep your
clothing clean as well as for safety (Figure 2).
An apron presents less openings and loose cloth than other types
of clothing. No rings, wrist watches, bracelets, or any type of
jewelry or clothing that might swing or hang in an unsafe manner
should be worn. |
| Milling Machine Safety-On
a milling machine the cutter is out in the open (Figure 3). This
creates a situation were your hands can come in contact with the
cutter quite easily. Always turn the machine spindle off when
clearing away chips or taking a measurement on the part. |
Figure 3. The open configuration of the milling machine can
expose the operator to the sharp edges of the milling cutter.
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Figure 3. Never completely
loosen all of the head clamping bolts at one time.
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Stop the spindle completely before you load or unload a workpiece.
When making adjustments to the work-head remove the cutting tool
from the spindle. Never loosen all of the clamping bolts on the tool
head at one time (Figure 3). There should be enough friction on the
tool head to keep it from swinging on its own. If the clamping bolts
are loosened completely, the weight of the tool head could cause the
head to flip. This can cause serious injury to the operator. |
Never allow another operator to operate the machine
controls along with you. There should only be one person operating the
machine at a time. Never leave a running machine unattended.
| Chip Removal-When cleaning the milling machine; do not use
compressed air (Figure 4). Compressed air will blow chips back into
your face and eyes. Compressed air can also blow fine chips past the
wipers on the ways of the machine. Fine chips between mating
surfaces of machine will ruin the accuracy of the machine. |
Figure 4. Do not used compressed air
for cleaning machines
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Do not use your hands to remove chips. Do not allow the
chips to pile up. When they pile up, it is hard to resist the urge to
remove them. When that urge is satisfied incorrectly, you may be hurt.
After stopping the spindle, use a stout brush or chip scraper to clear the
chips away.
Always remember that safety is
no accident.
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