The American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is blessed in that it has direct access to the members of the Gunsmithing Club of America (GCA). GCA’s Facebook page has 6600 followers. Having access to this incredible depth of gunsmithing knowledge is a valuable resource. You will see this intro frequently as we share the results of surveys employed to create a picture of the gunsmithing practice. Our first topic is gunsmithing safety. Many objects involved in gunsmithing are considered “dangerous”. The reality is that the danger lies in the sins of commission and omission by humans interacting with these objects. It is how people interact with gunsmithing tools and products that creates incidents where people are injured. Note I did not say “accidents.” When people are injured at the range or in the workshop it is because someone set up the conditions, hopefully not with deliberate intent.
Collating the survey responses showed answers falling into the categories of:
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
• Shop Security
• Chemical Hazards
• Shop Condition
• Workplace issues
• Procedural
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
It was fitting that the first response I saw accessing the data was that PPE should be at hand and in good working order. A good list includes, at a minimum: eye and ear protection, face shield, a good respirator, gloves for handling chemicals, gloves for handling hot metals, apron, long shirt and pants, sturdy shoes, a fire extinguisher, and a good first aid kit.
Eye protection is not a one size fits all proposition. I recommend wrap-around lenses that are impact resistant. Wrap around is good because I have had hot solder slip around my regular lenses and splash right at the corner of my eye. I was lucky. Impact resistant is good because I have had a ricochet splash right in front of my eye. Rather than have several pairs of glasses, I have a very nice pair by SSP Eyewear with interchangeable tints. They have one other feature in that you can purchase them with prescription bifocals – a great feature for aging eyes. The polycarbonate lenses have a lifetime warranty against scratches, and you can purchase new lens inserts if you need them. Other companies offer similar sets and it is worth the investment. Buy what you will use.
Hearing protection is another vital consideration. Throughout the AGI courses, experts will tell you to listen for small audible clues that tell you what is going on inside the firearm. You can’t do that if you don’t protect your ears. When operating loud shop equipment, at least wear ear plugs. I have a pair of noise cancelling headphones made by Sony that dampen loud constant noises and let you hear other sounds around you. They are worth the money. On the range, ear plugs also work well, but active ear muffs mute loud sharp sounds while letting you hear other sounds around you. Muffs like Earmore, Walker’s Razor, or Zohan provide excellent protection from the loud gunshot while allowing you to hear voices, equipment sounds, or even radios.
Face shields and Respirators are something I don’t see used often enough. I lost a professional colleague and friend to emphysema caused by breathing vapors without a respirator. He frequently sprayed finishes on both metal and wood, but what really got him was the vapors from the fluxes used in soldering and brazing. My father died from lung cancer caused by handling asbestos without a respirator. 3M and North make excellent respirators and there are a number available with an integrated face shield. Those of us with facial hair should make a special effort to buy shields and respirators that work with beards and mustaches, or, as I was once advised, keep a jar of petroleum jelly handy to make a better seal. I keep respirators with replaceable filters hanging next to my spray equipment, and next to my sander and bandsaw.
Gloves and Apron are often neglected. I keep disposable gloves handy in my shop. I have a heavy leather set near my lathe. I have welder’s gloves next to my welder. You can buy bulk packs of durable cotton gloves at Harbor Freight, and it is a good idea to have them handy. Aprons should be either heavy cotton or leather. You can make arguments for either. I have one cotton hanging next to my reloading/bullet casting bench, and one hanging next to my mobile power tools island. AGI gives a very nice one to their students, and it should be used.
Long-sleeved shirt and pants and sturdy close-toed shoes, protective clothing, are an important part of shop safety. Strongly advise against synthetics in the shop, especially around heat. Cotton is usually your best bet for shirt and pants. Clothing should be snug fitting. Loose clothing is a hazard around rotating blades and belts. Shirt tails hanging out are very dangerous. The safest bet in shoes is a good quality leather. As I get older I have more trouble with my feet, and have found the Twisted X brand of shoe to be durable and very comfortable on the range and in the shop.
Fire extinguishers, and first aid kits are important items. Since I have a license to manufacture ammunition, I have to know the local fire marshal. My advice is to talk with your fire marshal and solicit his opinion on fire extinguishers and fire safety for your shop. Given the unthinkable may happen, advance knowledge of your shop will enable the fire marshal to bring the proper help your way quickly. First aid kits are a must. I have several located throughout the shop, in my range bag, and in my cars. As a Range Safety Officer (RSO) I am required to have a first aid kit whenever I open a range. I prefer to have my own and not rely on the range’s idea of a proper first aid kit. For most things, a standard kit will do. Unfortunately, on the range, if there is an incident, you may need more. Though I have never needed them, for a penetrating wound, I was once advised by an Army range master that nothing works better than Tampons and an Ace Bandage. Tampons will expand to fill the wound channel, and the ace bandage will keep pressure applied until the medical experts get there. A couple of additional items you might think silly – shoe laces. Keep a pair in your first aid kit. Working with scouts, I can’t count the number of injuries from broken shoe laces. You especially don’t want someone tripping and falling because of a broken or missing shoe lace with a firearm in their hands. Another is 81mg chewable baby aspirin. As a five-time survivor of heart attacks since 2001, I have learned to keep them handy. Four baby aspirin given to a victim in the first 30 minutes will double their chances of survival. What does that have to do with gunsmithing? Not much – but I believe in being prepared.
Shop Security
Shop Security is important when you consider what we keep in our shops – customer’s firearms, sometimes ammunition, explosives, and power tools that can seriously injure the unwary intruder. First off, have an alarm system. If your shop is at home, make certain your work area can be closed off and secured when you are not in it. Theft is an issue, and it is wise to not advertise where vulnerable items are stored. In some cases, your equipment is as valuable as the firearms you are working on. Make sure the area is secure.
Policies differ, but our professional community made the following suggestions regarding security:
• Limit the number of customers in your shop at any one time.
• Create separate areas for sales, or customer interaction, and the actual shop.
• Only authorized persons should have access to the work area.
• Do not allow customers to dry fire firearms in the shop, and under no condition allow them to casually carry in live ammo. There may be occasions when you need a sample of a customer’s ammunition, but have a defined policy for how it is handled and enforce it at all time.
Chemical Hazards
Several of our gunsmithing experts listed chemical hazards in the shop as a concern. They listed exposure to various products, caustic fumes, toxic fumes, lead particles, solvents, and flammables. It is a good idea to check with your local fire marshal to determine the amount of ventilation recommended, proper types of PPE, and safe storage and disposal guidelines.
That said, working with chemicals under a hood with an outside exhaust fan is a good idea. Some areas may require you to put a filter on the exhaust to trap toxic chemicals. It can be a good policy. Wearing a respirator with shield protects your lungs and eyes. This is especially true when spraying paints or finishes.
Flammable materials always require caution. Fumes should be vented away from the area. The area should be free of objects that can cause sparks. Fire extinguishers and a bucket of sand should be handy. Sand can put out many small fires, is cheap, non-toxic, and reuseable. Some gunsmiths like a carpet-topped workbench. I prefer a large mat with a closed surface. Such can be more easily wiped off or cleaned of flammable fluids rather than trap in the fibers for a wayward spark.
Shop Condition
Shops range from tools lying everywhere, dropped where they were last used, bits in tangled jungles, sharp edged tools lying unprotected, equipment dirty from shavings and spilled materials; to immaculate, with every tool in its place, equipment looking used but almost new in its pristine condition, all safeties in place and PPE immediately handy. Most, like mine, are somewhere in between. Time is money in a shop. Time spent looking for misplaced tools, or trying to clean a dirty tool for a hurry job, or repairing work when a dull or improperly maintained tool damages the customer’s work is money lost. Practicing your first aid skills because you tried to use a dull tool that slipped, or an injury because a guard was not in place is also expensive.
I won’t be casting the first stone, but those surveyed told us they expected tools and machinery to be in good working order; guards for lathe, grinders, saws, and mills in place; and the work area around equipment be clear, clean, and free of nip points and wrap hazards. A good suggestion is to take the printed safety reminders for power equipment such as lathe, drill press, Foredom tool, grinders, sanders, and other rotating equipment, laminate them, and post in the work area. Power cords and air hoses should be routed away from traffic areas to avoid tripping hazards.
Workplace issues
Workplace issues are closely related to Shop conditions mentioned above. The greatest governing factor is whether yours is a one-man shop, or if you have two or more professional gunsmiths and/or helpers occupying the same shop space. By yourself, you can maintain your space how you want. Your workplace will be defined by the clutter you are willing to endure and the hazards you are willing to tolerate. Do you plan to allow customers to see your workspace? Their impressions of your shop may be a deciding factor in whether or not they will allow you to work on their firearms.
On the other hand, once you have a helper, or a colleague in your shop, the rules change. Although the following are good practices for the solo gunsmith, they are essential when two or more occupy the same space.
• A healthy workshop will be clean, tidy, and well lit.
• Tools, supplies, etc will be kept in their well-defined places when not in use.
• Work areas will be free of slip, trip, or fall hazards due to cords, hoses, trash, or small parts on the floor.
• Dedicated spaces for hazardous activities such as refinishing, testing feeding, welding, or cleaning with volatile solvents. Such areas should have appropriate ventilation, lighting, and fire preventative materials.
• Power tools should have proper guards in place for operation.
• Have a dedicated area specially designed to manage the risk of flying parts during disassembly and reassembly. A friend of mine built a large box with clear top and sides where he could work on a firearm and keep springs and other parts from flying about the shop. The box had its own lighting and a magnifier to study small parts.
Procedural
Every shop should have certain well-documented procedures that everyone in the shop should know and be expected to follow. How is a firearm received from a customer and logged in? What steps are required to return the firearm? These are essential from a legal and insurance point of view. Personally, I am a big fan of checklists in the form of job aids everyone can follow. Having been a pilot, I developed the habit of having a checklist and following it every time. As a pilot it is a legal requirement. Such checklists are useful in a gunsmith’s shop as well. Our survey respondents gave the following areas as procedural concerns:
General guidelines for avoiding:
• scratches and dent in the customer’s property.
• stabbing yourself with screwdrivers, awls, and other pointy things.
• burns when using hot equipment or handling hot parts.
Specific guidelines and directions for:
• Using bluing tanks.
• Lathe and mill operating procedures.
• Handling of live ammo in the shop.
• Taking guns out to the range.
• Disposing of hazardous waste including old batteries and dry cells.
Conclusion
It would be foolish to claim this is a complete list for gunsmithing shop safety. However, these were the first things suggested by the respondents to our survey. As such, it is a good start for a review of your shop’s operations and possible first improvement. As you follow it, I am certain you will discover other items worth mentioning. Please mention them to us so we can make this activity safer for everyone.
Ken Finley
