We all know how important it is to be careful when working with the tools that will literally slice off part of your body – in fact, you may even know someone who’s lost a finger from not using a pushstick on the table saw or had their hand sliced open because they weren’t checking to see if the blade guard on their miter saw snapped back into place. But have you ever thought about the damage your eyes and ears sustain in the shop?
Chances are, a saw blade won’t be a direct source of harm to either of these body parts (knock on wood). But all that time spent using power tools, including routers and sanders, will cause real damage to your hearing – and just one freak accident with a wood chip can permanently ruin your eyesight. Even sounds you wouldn’t think can cause harm will have an effect on your hearing, like a hammer hitting a nail, can have long-term effects on your hearing.
But half the people I see on Instagram don’t have eye and ear protection on in their photos, you may say. That’s true – but social media isn’t real life, and those woodworkers hopefully were wearing safety glasses and headphones before they took their photos. In fact, plenty of influencers include their safety equipment in photos, like Sarah Listi and Jess Crow (pictured below).
Photo credit: Sarah Listi @ Tool Girls Garage Photo credit: Jess Crow @ Crow Creek Designs
This video from Stumpy Nubs provides a great overview of what kinds of things can harm your eyes and ears. He even provides more detailed steps to take care of your eyes and ears when you’re working in the shop: How woodworkers injure their eyes and ears (IMPORTANT!).
Make sure to check out the links in the video description – not only does Stumpy Nubs provide links to other safety videos, but he also links to a variety of products for shop safety.
