Recently I've been worked with RS Components to make a safety guide for the DIY community, mainly focusing on DIY CNC machines. I thought it might interest you because some of you use CNC machines for building your robots.
Also, get in touch if you feel that some of your machines could use a shiny big red emergency stop button, I might be able to send you one!
The main aim of the project is to raise awarness about safety issues, so feel free to share any of your own experiences and tips!
Actually, I have only had one real scare with the CNC. I had forgotten to tab a piece which fell through and wedged itself between the workpiece and the smooth part of the endmill. The mill couldn’t give a rats pajamas that it was stuck. It just kept going like one of those huge cruise ships (@ 5 mph) running into a dock. Shoved the work out of 4 clamps and pushed it into the frame of the cnc. Then it started to bow the whole piece (3/4 mdf @ 24" x 24") up off the table almost a 1/2". Finally, the bit broke. --Not really a safety scare, but proved to me the incredible power of the machine (and that it won’t stop for nuthin’). The big red button was installed shortly there after.
Personally, based on the number of injuries, I would say there are two "most dangerous tools:
Utility Knife
Those little ends you trim off of resistors etc. that end up in the carpet and stick you in the foot.
