In this the second of two parts, Will Sampson talks with wood dust fire prevention expert Jeffrey C. Nichols about how spark detection technology actually works to put out fires or explosions before they happen. Will shares his own thoughts on the apparent or imagined conflict in woodworking between safety and production eficiency.
This episode of the Woodworking Network podcast was sponsored by FDMC magazine. FDMC magazine is your vital source of information to improve your woodworking business. Whether it is keeping you apprised of the latest advances in manufacturing, helping you solve your wood technology problems with Gene Wengert, or inspiring you with case histories about successful businesses and best practices, FDMC magazine is there to be the sharpest business tool in your shop. Learn more and subscribe for free at woodworkingnetwork.com/fdmc.
Woodworking Network is a home for professional woodworkers, presenting technology, supplies, education, inspiration, and community, from small business entrepreneurs to corporate managers at large automated plants.
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Intro music courtesy of Anthony Monson.
Welcome to the Woodworking Network Podcast where we explore the business of woodworking and what it takes to succeed. I’m Will Sampson.
This episode is sponsored by FDMC magazine, and don’t forget to take our survey at woodworking network.com/podcast-survey.
Today, we’ll be talking more with Jeffrey Nichols about preventing fires and explosions from wood dust, but first I want to talk about “What cost safety?”
We all know that woodworking is an inherently dangerous activity. Besides the obvious risks from high-speed, sharp cutting tools, there are less obvious dangers from breathing wood and abrasive dust. And, of course, there’s the ever present danger of a fire or explosion. As manufacturers, the question we in the wood industry must ask is how we can appropriately ensure safety while at the same time providing efficient productivity?
I’ve seen shops and factories that were spotless, with little or no dust to seen anywhere. I’ve also seen facilities that were clearly an accident waiting to happen, with dust piled high everywhere, and disorganized stacks of work in progress littered about the debris-strewn floors. If you talk to the folks in the messy plants, they often shrug and say they don’t have time (or management doesn’t give them time) to keep things tidy because they are too busy in production.
But those clean shops are just as if not more efficient in their output. What’s going on? It’s really a difference in perceptions. The messy shops don’t understand that a clean, safe and organized work environment leads to more efficiency, more productivity, and ultimately more profits. The messy shop folks see safety and cleaning as a burden that takes away from production. Who’s right?
I know in my own small one-man shop that things can easily get out of hand when I’m trying to get a major project out the door on a deadline. Things pile up on workbenches. Offcuts wind up in a pile on the floor. Tools don’t get put away. Then what happens? The chaos finally gets too much, and all production has to stop to find that ONE tool, or clear a work surface for the next process. That disruptive standstill wouldn’t happen if there was a continuous effort to keep things clean and organized all the time.
It has to be a continuous effort that not only is supported by management, but also is demanded. Once it becomes the standard procedure, it no longer is a burden. Tools aren’t misplaced. There’s no dust to catch fire, no debris to trip over or move out of the way. Safe, clean processes just become the norm.
I’ve long been an advocate for making safe practices easy and unavoidable. One of the first steps I took in my own shop was to hang ear protection muffs over the switches on every machine. It becomes just normal to put on the ear muffs before turning on the machine. Of course, in a shop with more than one person, the ear and eye protection need to go on at the front door, but you get the idea.
Making safety painless and automatic makes all of us safer and more efficient. This isn’t something to be relegated to a “safety committee” or some top-down edict from the front office. Whether you’re the boss or a production line employee, safety is ultimately your responsibility. Make it automatic for yourself and your part of the process. See how much more efficient you’ll be and let the safe practices spread around you.
Speaking of safety, I want to return to our conversation with Jeff Nichols on wood dust fire suppression, but first let’s pause for a word from our sponsor. FDMC magazine is your vital source of information to improve your woodworking business. Whether it is keeping you apprised of the latest advances in manufacturing, helping you solve your wood technology problems with Gene Wengert, or inspiring you with case histories about successful businesses and best practices, FDMC magazine is there to be the sharpest business tool in your shop. Learn more and subscribe for free at woodworkingnetwork.com/fdmc.
Now, let’s get back to Jeff Nichols and get into the nitty gritty of how spark detection works.