Upon entering the shop portion of KiwiMill, I’m struck by the vast amount of large equipment: machine lathe, various table saws, a turret punch, laser cutter, bridgeport mill, CNC mill, band saw and paint booth. How does a model maker keep it all straight? More to the point, how does he stay safe? Add to the large machinery the hand-held tools for welding, sanding, routing, brazing, soldering, drilling, molding, painting and casting, and it seems clear to me that safety must be as inborn a trait in model makers as the ability to think visually in 3D.

Talking with KiwiMill’s production manager, I find that while safety is inherently part of any good model maker, there are a few simple practices and tips that can help keep a shop injury-free:

Know the equipment you are working with:

• Visually familiarize yourself with the machine, how it operates, the way the blades are spinning.
• Know what materials can be cut on it.
• Understand the nuances of the equipment, what its reputation is and what can go wrong.
• Be aware of where your hands are, and where they’ll end up if the material you are working with breaks, flies off or disintegrates.
• Predict what direction a piece will go if it comes loose and position your body out of that pathway.
• Find out what debris (dust, chips) will be coming off the product and use goggles and/or mask as needed for protection.
• Read up on the Material Data Safety Sheet of a particular substance to understand its particular properties.

A confident, proactive attitude works best:

• Always ask someone if you don’t know how to operate a piece of equipment.
• Stay focused on the task you are performing.
• Have a healthy respect for the machine but don’t approach it with fear.
• Don’t rush through a movement.
• Take breaks from repetitive or frustrating activity.
• Watch out for each other while operating equipment. Notice if something looks or sounds strange and don’t hesitate to point it out.

Keep a well-maintained and well-stocked shop:

• Have plenty of fire extinguishers throughout the shop.
• Provide goggles, safety glasses, headphones and masks.
• Clean up spills immediately.
• Contain oily rags, and towels in a special bin to avoid spontaneous combustion.
• Keep machines and tools well maintained and blades sharpened regularly.
• Don’t allow loose clothing or any dangling objects near a rotating piece of equipment.

While it turns out safe work habits are not simply a trait you are born with, they are based in common sense practices, that with experience, become second nature to a professional model maker.