Handbook & Safety

Purposes

The Association is established to be a charity whose purpose is to advance the health of the community by providing opportunities for socially isolated people or people with emotional, mental, or physical health issues to work on projects and interact with other like-minded people in a supportive shed environment in the local community.

In order to achieve this the Association will:

Provide a physical location and Membership opportunities for people in the Twin Rivers area where they can work together, exchange ideas, experiences and find support, while undertaking charitable activities that benefit the broader community.
To support local men and women to be happy and healthy and to contribute to the local community.
To develop and share skills within a supportive and safe environment.
To encourage men and women in the Twin Rivers Community to develop new relationships

The constitution with all the association's rules is available by contacting the Secretary.

The handbook of rules is below.

Look around your workshop

Is the work area as free from hazards as possible?
Is the area equipped to handle emergency situations; for example, with fire extinguishers, and properly equipped with first aid kits?
Is the workshop managed to keep it safe?
Are tools and equipment properly guarded?
Do workers use tools and equipment in a safe manner?
Do workers use appropriate personal protective equipment?

Safety precautions

Read the operator’s manual and observe all safety precautions for all equipment.
Protect yourself from electric shock:

– Check power tools before use.

– Fit a residual current device (RCD or safety switch) to the electrical circuit to prevent electrical shock or electrocution.

– If an RCD is not fitted, use a portable RCD.

Keep all guards and shields in place.
Give the task your full attention.
Let each tool work at its own speed; do not force it.
Always wear appropriate personal protective clothing.
Always maintain secure footing and balance.
Keep tools clean and sharp.
Turn the switch off immediately if the power tool stalls or jams.
Wherever possible, use clamps or a vice to hold your work.
Provide enough light so you can see what you are doing.
Store power tools safely to prevent damage to the tool and cord, and to prevent unauthorized use.
Maintain power tools in good working order. Replace or repair worn or faulty equipment immediately.

Duty of workers

Workers have a duty to take reasonable care for their own health and safety and to not adversely affect the health and safety of other persons.
Workers must comply with reasonable instructions, as far as they are reasonably able, and cooperate with reasonable health and safety policies or procedures, that have been notified to workers, for example, procedures for first aid and for reporting injuries and illnesses.

Duty of others at the workplace

Other persons at the workplace, like visitors, must take reasonable care for their own health and safety and must take care not to adversely affect other people’s health and safety. They must comply, so far as they are reasonably able.

The main causes of injury with hand tools

using the wrong tool
using a tool in poor condition
using a tool, the wrong way
keeping tools in unsafe places

So, prevent injury by following these safe practices when using tools.

Use tools of an appropriate size and shape for the job.
Wipe oil, grease, and dirt from tools with a clean rag before starting a job.
Clean tools and keep them in trays or boxes when not in use.
Shut off machines before adjusting them.
Wear safety glasses when using punches, chisels, hammers, or grinding devices.
Use safety equipment when removing and installing heavy parts.
Hold safety meetings to teach workers about the care and safe use of tools.
Keep a first aid kit and a doctor’s name, address, and phone number handy for emergencies.
Don’t use homemade or reworked tools, or tools not designed for the job.
Don’t use pipe extensions or other ‘cheaters’ or wrenches too light for the job.
Don’t place tools where they can fall and strike someone.
Don’t carry pointed or sharp tools in your pockets.
Don’t throw tools — hand them. Use a rope or cord to raise or lower tools and equipment.

Wrenches

Always pull on a wrench, never push.
Always face wrench jaw openings in direction of pull.
When pulling on a wrench, brace against a backward fall by placing one foot behind the other.
Inspect ratchet wrenches periodically and replace worn or defective parts.
Keep moving parts of adjustable wrenches clean and lubricated.
Don’t try to work with a wrench in a cocked position.
Use angle connections so that the wrench will fit flat and square on the nut or bolt head.
Don’t use wrenches with spread-out jaw openings or sockets with battered or rounded walls.
Don’t use a wrench as a hammer.
Don’t pound on a wrench to loosen a frozen nut; use penetrating oil, a heavier wrench or one designed for impact work.

Screwdrivers

Use the right length screwdriver so that it can be applied at right angles to the screw head.
Use the largest-sized screwdriver that will fit snugly into the screw slot.
Use a screwdriver with an insulated handle for electrical work.
Don’t use a screwdriver with a worn or broken tip.
Don’t use a screwdriver as a punch, chisel, or pry-bar.
Don’t hold a small part in your hand while working on it with a screwdriver — put it into a vice.

Pliers

Point the inside of the plier cutting jaws away from your face to prevent injury from flying cuttings.
Don’t use pliers with smoothly worn gripping sections or with loose rivets or nut and bolt assemblies.
Don’t use pliers for bolt turning — they are designed for gripping and cutting only.
Don’t overload cutting pliers. If wire can’t be cut with one hand squeezing pliers, use a larger pair of pliers.
Check the insulation on pliers — a pinhole can be fatal.

Chisels and punches

Use a chisel with a cutting edge of the same width or wider than the area to be cut.
Use the largest punch to fit the job without binding.
Hold chisels and punches loosely with the palm up or use a tool holder.
Don’t use chisels and punches with ‘mushroomed’ heads — metal may chip off and cause injury.
Don’t use a chisel, punch, or pry bar to remove gears, wheels, or bearings from a shaft — use a pulling tool.

Hammers

Use a hammer heavy enough for the job.
Don’t use a hammer with a cracked head or handle.
Don’t use a hammer with a ‘mushroomed’ or battered and rounded striking face.
When spalling rock with a heavy hammer, wear eye protection.

Files

Fit the sharp end with a handle.
Place small objects in a vice for filing.
Don’t hit a file with a hammer.
Don’t use a file to pry, chisel or punch.

Power Tools

Regularly inspect the condition of switches, control valves, electric cord, and hose connections.
Store electric cords loosely coiled in a clean, dry place.
Always use a portable residual current device (RCD or safety switch) where a fixed RCD is not available.
Keep electric tools away from oil, hot surfaces, and chemicals.
Ground electric tools to prevent possible electric shock.
Don’t patch damaged cords — shorten or replace them.
Don’t hang a cord over a nail or sharp edge or allow it to kink.
Don’t leave a cord where it can be run over or damaged.
Don’t use electrical tools in wet areas or where flammable gases or vapours are present.

Welcome

We hope that you find your time here enjoyable and rewarding. The Twin Rivers Men’s Shed is committed to providing and maintaining a friendly environment for all members and visitors.
ALL Members and Supervisors share a Duty of Care to assist in identifying and rectifying any hazards.
The Twin Rivers Men’s Shed will provide training in the use of equipment as required.
The Twin Rivers Men’s Shed expects all members and visitors to observe and practice methods to ensure that no action or inaction on their part causes harm or hazard to any other person.

Your day at the shed

When you arrive at the shed you should sign the Attendance Book
A $2 attendance fee per person per day is levied to cover coffee, teas, etc.
If you do not have an activity to carry on with, a Committee Member may be able to introduce you to a group or a project that you may like to join.
Should you feel at any time that your skill level is not adequate to the activity being undertaken, you should bring this to the attention of the project leader or committee Member.

New projects

If you have an idea or a new project that you would like to introduce to the shed, discuss it with a Committee Member. Include in the discussion as many details as possible such as materials required, machinery/tools needed, manpower required when the project is to start and when it is proposed to finish, as well as any other details that may be relevant. The project can then be reviewed by the Committee and advice and feedback are given.
Do not start a project without prior approval.
Do not use steel, timber, and other materials unless they have been first allocated to your project.

Finishing for the day

When you are ready to leave for the day, clean up the area in which you have been working.
All rubbish should be placed in the garbage bins.
Clean the tools and machinery you have used.
Hand tools and power tools should be placed back in the store.
Loose power leads should be coiled and returned to the correct place.
Chemicals-eg paint, thinners should be taken back to the chemicals storage area.
When the area is clean and tidy, please sign off in the attendance book as you leave.

Accidents and incidents

Report immediately any practice that you think may cause damage to equipment or injuries to anyone in the shed or any condition that you consider to be a hazard.
Whenever an accident or incident occurs, regardless of how minor, report and record it on the day of occurrence in the Shed Accident/Incident Register.
Do not take unnecessary risks in the workplace – avoid distracting others while they are working.
Always get help with heavy items. Use lifting equipment.
Know the location and how to use fire extinguishers.
Know where the first aid kits are located, and how to use them.

Protective clothing

Some protective clothing is provided for members' use.
Use as appropriate and keep them clean and in good order.
Please advise a Committee member if protective gear is damaged, is not available or you are having difficulty in using the equipment provided.
Ear Muffs/ ear plugs to be used in noisy areas.
Eye protection to be used where there are loose particles.
Dust masks to be used when dust being created.
Welding mask and special welding protection to be used when welding.

Tools

Only use tools that you are competent with. If in doubt, ask for assistance.
Use the correct tools for the process being undertaken. Ask if unsure.
Do not adjust or repair tools unless competent to do so. Check with your supervisor. Damaged or broken tools should be immediately brought to the notice of the supervisor, and taken out of service. Record this in the Faulty tools Register.
Any tools or equipment brought onto the Association's premises or used in the Association's activities shall be subjected to scrutiny by a Committee member before being used. If deemed unsuitable, they must be removed from the site immediately.

Machinery operation

Do not operate machinery unless guards and /or safety devices are in place.
If you are not familiar with a piece of machinery, read the operating instructions and talk to a Supervisor before commencing.
Should any machinery or equipment become jammed or cease to function appropriately, do not under any circumstance seek to clear the obstruction or attempt to fix the problem without first turning the power to the machine off, and rendering it safe. Report the problem to the Supervisor or a Committee member.
See the Supervisor or a Committee member for keys to machinery, locked guards or covers.
Lifting equipment must be lowered to the ground or secured when not in use.
Do not leave machinery running while you move away to perform another task. Stop the machine before walking away.

Machinery maintenance

All machinery malfunctions or damage must be reported to the Supervisor or Committee Member, and recorded in the Faulty Tool/Equipment Register.
Machine maintenance should only be carried out by persons with the appropriate training and experience.
Ensure power to the machine is turned off prior to maintenance commencing.

Chemicals

Handle all chemicals with care.
Only use chemicals that you are competent to handle. If unsure, ask.
Read labels and follow instructions.
Check material data Safety Sheets for additional information.
Chemicals should be stored in the chemical storage area. Wear protective gear/clothing /gloves/masks as appropriate.

Emergencies

It is your responsibility to inform your Supervisor or a Committee member if you are on any medications that may affect your ability to work.
Know where the first Aid kits and fire extinguishers are located.
You must advise the Supervisor if you are intending to work off-site at a designated Shed Project. This should be recorded in the Attendance Register.
Know who is your Health and Safety representative and who is your first-aid Members ( Refer to Notice Board in Shed.)

Twin Rivers Men's Shed