| Required | Recommended | |
|---|---|---|
| Long Hair / Beards | Keep it tied up/back and, if long enough, tuck it into your shirt. | A cotton hat or cap will protect your hair from damage. |
| Required | Recommended | Discouraged | Not Allowed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Safety Glasses | Your eyes must always be protected while in the machine shop, including side-shields. | |||
| Prescription Glasses | You will need to wear goggles or a face shield over your prescription glasses. | Prescription safety glasses. | If you have shatter resistant (polycarbonate) lenses, and can get clip-on side-shields... they'll be better than nothing. | Prescription glasses are not safety glasses. |
| Required | Recommended | Not Allowed | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hearing Protection | Not required: the machine shop has lots of noises, but most of them aren't super loud. You may wear earplugs or muffs if you prefer. | If you are sensitive to sound, "Musicians" or "Concert" ear plugs are a good option: they'll reduce the volume of everything, but you'll still be able to hear your machine. | |
| Ear Buds / Headphones | Not allowed. You must be able to hear your machine and what is happening around you. |
| Required | Recommended | Discouraged | Not Allowed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shirt |
|
Cotton: Hot chips will melt through synthetics and stick to your skin. Oil Stains: Choose shirts you don't love too much—your clothes will get oil stains while working in the shop. Bring a Change: You may wish to bring a something to change into before you starting in the shop. |
If you absolutely must cover your arms (there are a few valid reasons) discuss with an instructor. You will be required to find a shirt or undershirt with very close-fit sleeves. | Long Sleeves or Baggy Fit: Unsafe around rotating equipment. Fabric caught on a rotating shaft or spindle will wrap a person up. |
| Hoodies | Bad all around. Long sleeves, hood strings, and they're almost always too baggy. | |||
| Necklaces | If you must wear a necklace, it must be kept inside your shirt. | Same problem as everything else: if it can get caught on a rotating shaft or spindle, it can pull you into the machine. | ||
| Neck Ties | It's never come up, but it's listed in all the old books... usually as a joke about bosses and managers. Just, don't. |
| Required | Recommended | Discouraged | Not Allowed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gloves | When handling bar-stock at the bandsaw, you may choose to wear work gloves, but they must be removed before work at a mill or lathe. | If you need to cover your hands, you may wear thin, well-fit rubber gloves. | Never while operating a machine: they can get caught on rotating shafts or spindles and pull you into a machine. | |
| Wrist Watches | There are wall clocks in every area of the shop. | Never while operating a machine: Too easy for the strap to get caught on a rotating shaft or spindle and pull you into a machine. | ||
| Jewelry | We won't refuse anyone their wedding ring, however, you should be aware that rings are unsafe; you risk injury including degloving and amputation. Silicone rings are a less-dangerous option. | No decorative jewelry on hands or wrists while operating machines. |
| Required | Recommended | Discouraged | Not Allowed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pants | You know that one nightmare where you show up to school without pants? Yeah, let's not... you need to wear pants here. |
Denim or similar natural-fiber. Your clothes will get oil stains while working in the shop: don't wear your favorite slacks. |
Synthetic fabrics will melt and stick to you when hot chips land on them. | Styles that are baggy, have straps, or are fraying with loose strings could be caught on rotating shafts of the manual lathes. |
| Sweat Pants or Leggings | Bring something else to change into while you're in the shop. | Synthetic fabrics will melt and stick to skin when hot chips are flying. | Sweat pants are too baggy, and leggings are too thin. | |
| Lanyards or Chains | Put it in your pocket, bag, or a locker. | Same problem as everything else: if it can get caught on a rotating shaft or spindle, it can pull you into the machine. | ||
| Shorts | Not the best idea, but it does get hot sometimes... you'll probably get chips in your shoes and socks. |
| Required | Recommended | Discouraged | Not Allowed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Footwear | Closed Toe |
Leather or Canvas Upper: Hot chips will melt through synthetics. Safety Toe: Not required, but a good idea if you have a pair. |
Avoid wearing your "every day" shoes: the soles will get chips stuck into them. Have a pair of "shop shoes" instead |
Open-Toe Shoes: Sandals, flip-flops, etc. |