# Hazards Fire, chemicals, air quality and electrical hazards. # Fire Safety and Hot Work A makerspace has plenty of fuel (sawdust, wood, rags, finishes) and plenty of heat (welders, grinders, lasers, soldering irons, 3D printer hotends). This page covers the habits that keep those two apart. ## Fire extinguishers - Fire extinguisher locations are pointed out during the New Member Orientation tour. Know where the nearest one is before you start work. - **Never block an extinguisher**, a fire lane, an electrical panel or a sprinkler head. - A **class ABC** extinguisher works on ordinary combustibles (wood, paper, cloth), flammable liquids and electrical fires. Use it with the PASS method: **P**ull the pin, **A**im at the base of the fire, **S**queeze the handle, **S**weep side to side. - Only fight a fire that is small and contained, and only if you have a clear way out behind you. Otherwise get out and call 911. See **Shop Safety: Emergency Information**. - If you use an extinguisher, even briefly, report it so it can be recharged or replaced. See **Shop Safety: Incident and Near-Miss Reporting**.

To be confirmed: a list or floor plan of extinguisher locations, and which extinguisher types are in which areas.

## Flammable liquids and finishes - Keep solvents, paints, stains and other flammable liquids closed when not in use, and store them in the flammables cabinet. - Do not use or store flammable liquids near welding, grinding or other sources of sparks or flame.

To be confirmed: where the flammables cabinet is and what may be stored in it.

## Oily rags Rags soaked with oil-based stains, linseed oil, tung oil and similar finishes can **heat up and catch fire on their own** as they dry. Never wad them up and toss them in the trash. Lay them out flat to dry outdoors or away from anything flammable, or put them in a closed metal container filled with water, before disposal. See **Facility Operations: Trash, Recycling and Hazardous Waste**. ## Hot work: welding, cutting, plasma and grinding - Clear combustibles (sawdust, wood scraps, cardboard, rags) away from the work area before you strike an arc or start grinding. Sparks travel farther than you expect. - Watch the area for a while after you finish; smoldering material can flare up later. - Wear the PPE for the job. See **Shop Safety: Personal Protective Equipment**. - Hot work belongs in the Metal Shop. See **Metal Shop: Metal Shop Overview**. ## Lasers and 3D printers - **Never leave the laser unattended while it is running.** This is posted on the machine. See **Digital Fabrication: Laser Cutter**. - Only cut materials that are safe for the laser. See **Digital Fabrication: Laser-Safe and Prohibited Materials**. ## Electrical fire prevention Overloaded cords and improvised plug adapters are a common cause of shop fires. See **Shop Safety: Electrical Safety and Lockout/Tagout**. # Chemical Safety and Safety Data Sheets This page will cover how to handle the finishes, resins, solvents, gases and adhesives used in the shop, and where to find the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for each product: what is in it, the PPE it needs, how to store it, and what to do after a spill or exposure.

This page is being written. WMI does not have an SDS binder yet. Collecting safety data sheets for every finish, resin, solvent, gas and adhesive in the shop is owned by the Area Champions or the Space Improvement Committee. Until then, read the label on any product before you use it, and in an emergency call 911.

# Air Quality Fine dust and fumes are the hazards you cannot always see. Several areas of the shop produce them, and they drift into the rest of the building if they are not controlled at the source. ## Wood dust - The Wood Shop has dust collection. Turn it on and connect it whenever the tool you are using is set up for it. - Fine wood dust irritates the lungs and some species are sensitizers. Wear a dust mask or respirator for sanding and other dusty work, even with dust collection running. - Sweep or vacuum up dust when you are done. Dust piles are also a fire hazard.

To be confirmed: which Wood Shop tools are connected to dust collection and how to turn the collector on.

## Laser fumes - Laser cutting and engraving produces smoke and fumes. Make sure the laser's exhaust or filtration is running before you start a job. - Some materials produce toxic or corrosive gases when lasered. Never cut PVC or vinyl, which release chlorine gas. See **Digital Fabrication: Laser-Safe and Prohibited Materials**.

To be confirmed: how the laser is ventilated or filtered, and how to check that it is working.

## 3D printing - Printing some plastics, ABS and ASA in particular, gives off fumes and fine particles. The Bambu Lab X1C has an activated carbon filter that is replaced as part of its maintenance; see **Digital Fabrication: Bambu Lab X1C and AMS Maintenance**. ## Welding and cutting fumes - Welding and plasma cutting produce metal fumes. Work with ventilation, keep your head out of the plume, and wear a respirator rated for welding fumes when needed. - Welding coated or galvanized metal produces especially harmful fumes. Remove the coating first or do not weld it.

To be confirmed: what ventilation or fume extraction the Metal Shop has.

## Paint and finishing - The paint and spray booth in the Flex Space is the ventilated area for finishing. Use it for spray work so overspray and fumes are contained. - See **Flex Space: Spray Booth** for the booth procedure. ## Soldering - Solder flux smoke irritates the eyes and lungs. Work with ventilation or a fume extractor in the Electronics Lab and keep your face out of the smoke. # Electrical Safety and Lockout/Tagout ## Electrical safety The City of Waukesha Fire Department inspects the space every year. These are the everyday rules that keep us safe and in line with the fire code. - **No multi-plug adapters.** Plug-in adapters that turn one outlet into several (cube taps, splitters) are not allowed in commercial buildings. Plug a power strip directly into the wall outlet, then plug tools into the power strip. - **Do not daisy-chain** power strips or extension cords into each other. - **Use the cord that is there.** Do not stretch extension cords across walkways or work areas. If a tool does not reach power safely, ask instead of improvising. - **Keep electrical panels clear.** Never block a panel; someone may need to reach a breaker fast. - **Damaged is out of service.** Do not use a tool, cord or power strip with cracked insulation, exposed wire, a missing ground pin or signs of scorching. Tag it and report it. See **Shop Safety: Tagging a Tool Out of Service and Reporting It**. - **Exit signs must stay lit.** If you notice an exit sign that is dark, report it. For where the panels are and how breakers are labeled, see **Facility Operations: Building Systems**. ## Lockout/Tagout for maintenance Lockout/tagout means making sure a machine **cannot start** while someone is working on it, and making it obvious to everyone else that it is being worked on. Before you change a blade or bit, clear a jam, adjust anything inside a guard, or do maintenance: 1. **Turn the tool off** and wait for it to stop completely. 2. **Disconnect the energy.** Unplug it, or for hardwired machines switch off and lock the disconnect. On tools with a safety key, remove the key (the **Wood Shop: Radial Arm Saw** works this way). 3. **Tag it.** Leave a clear note on the tool saying it is being worked on and by whom, so nobody plugs it back in. 4. **Check it.** Try the switch to confirm it will not start. 5. When you are done, replace all guards, remove your tag, and only then reconnect power. Several maintenance checklists in this knowledge base start with "power off and unplug". That step is not optional.

To be confirmed: whether WMI provides lockout locks and tags, where they are kept, and which machines are hardwired.