yes, I realize that I used this same picture on the last post. But it works for both the ice and light post and this power tool safety post.
updated 10/24/23 with a stupid video and 8/14/23 with seo, tweaks, and link updates
power tool safety
You’ll notice that I have bright orange safety equipment on while I’m working on this large Statue of Liberty sculpture in Belgium. I try to wear ear and eye protection while carving, especially when I’m working on big ice. I don’t always wear a helmet, but I virtually always wear some sort of hearing protection and I try to wear eye protection, although this is sometimes problematic (more on that later, but check the comments below). The orange helmet in the picture combines hearing protection with a mesh face shield that can be raised or lowered.
I remember a safety demonstration that I later went to at another ice carving event back in the U.S. Because of all the power tools involved, I’ve witnessed a number of injuries over the years and this seminar was designed to address that sort of thing, supposedly telling you what to do and what not to do. When the presenter got to an angle grinder fitted with a pad for aggressive smoothing of ice, he plugged it in and promptly injured himself.
Despite his complaint that another carver handed it to him with the power switch in the “on” position, he forgot to follow basic power tool safety rules such as: “before you plug something in, make sure it’s turned off” or “keep your hands away from the business end of your tools.” I don’t think anybody watching expected an actual injury to be demonstrated; he truly took the demo to the next level! Sarcasm aside, his misfortune was a reminder as to how dangerous all of the ice carving tools can be. And the reminders keep coming. Some time back, I had a good friend cut his arm with a chainsaw (not off, fortunately). Be careful!
SOMETIMES, power tool safety, or the lack of it, is funny 🤣 Usually not, but funny beats the hell out of some of the other possibilities.
links and stuff
This public service message on power tool safety 
is listed on the ice sculpting techniques page. There’s also another post on power tool safety that talks about electricity and water. I think I also have another post on wire mesh safety glasses (see the comments below) that I need restore as well, but I haven’t gotten to that one yet (unless I have and I just forgot to update this bit here 
) You could also find photos and info from this entry on the ice sculpting secrets Instagram account or the facebook page. You can comment there as well as below. And if it won’t LET you comment below, then definitely comment on fb and/or IG. Thanks!
old comments
The following comments were on the original power tool safety blog entry. After some technical difficulties etc., the blog was reconstructed, and this was the only way to keep the original comments. Unfortunately, the hyperlinks from the original comments are gone in some cases. You can add your own new comments at the bottom. Incidentally, the links in the comments are outdated, so for mesh googles, for now try Bugz googles and wire mesh googles at Bailey’s.
darren.best
Ive always thought that a trigger switch such as on a chainsaw would be nice on grinders an die grinders as well . there may be some on the market but I havent ran across them
Thursday, March 29, 2007 – 07:06 PM
Darren.Best
Dawson I noticed in your pics you always wear safety glasses, I try to wear them but find they usually get covered with water an are hard to see out of …any solutions?
Thursday, May 17, 2007 – 02:43 PM
Dawson
Darren,
The photo at the top shows me wearing a helmet with ear and eye protection. The eye protection, however, is a screen that you can flip down in front of your face. It’s designed for chainsaw users (wood) and I think it’s made by Peltor. It looks a little silly sometimes and I don’t truly know if it would stop something as well as safety glasses, but it sure keeps things out of my eyes.
I’ve also seen Kevin Roscoe wearing a smaller set of “screen” goggles, but I have no idea where to get those. Regarding your other comment, DeWalt makes a die grinder with a paddle switch (or they used to), but it’s heavier than the standard Makita GEO600 die grinder.
Thursday, May 17, 2007 – 10:24 PM
Dawson
Darren,
Also, if you carve in the freezer, water on safety glasses isn’t as much of a problem (but the glasses fog if you walk out of the freezer). You could tape a towel to your arm so that you could quickly wipe your glasses with your forearm. Also, if you pay attention to the direction that you’re cutting, sometimes you can send the ice and water away from you instead of at you (but not always). Anyway, water on your glasses beats getting blinded by a broken tool. Good luck
Thursday, May 17, 2007 – 10:30 PM
Darren.Best
yes , I guess if you lose an eye there is no longer a need for safety glasses
Friday, May 18, 2007 – 09:53 AM
Mesh Safety Glasses/Goggles
You can get the Screen Safety Glasses and Goggles at BAILEY’s Logger and Woodsman Supply (URL: http://www.baileys-online.com/) they are called Wire Mesh Safety Glasses, (item #62310) and Bugz-Eye Mesh Goggles, (item #35750) Currently as of this writing they are both around or under $25.00.
P. Palazzo, CT.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007 – 09:22 PM
Dawson
See, that’s one of the reasons that I started this site. I didn’t know where to get those glasses and now I do. Both pairs look like something that I’d be interested in and I’m not sure which I’ll try first. Thanks for the info!
Thursday, June 21, 2007 – 10:37 AM
goggleguy
Also check out Safe Eyes Mesh Safety Goggles at http://www.safeeyesgoggles.com These come in a standard and a fine mesh and will NEVER fog.
Thursday, April 28, 2011 – 12:44 PM
Dawson
I’ve been meaning to order a pair of the Safe Eyes glasses. Once I do, I’ll try to add an entry about them. Thanks!
Wednesday, December 7, 2011 – 11:43 AM
