Important – This message is from AAW Safety Committee Chair Rob Wallace
As chair of the AAW’s Safety Committee, I continue to receive reports of woodturning-related accidents and injuries, which are of major concern to me. As we all know, most accidents are preventable. I hope that members and chapters will take on the task of aggressively promoting safe woodturning practices each and every time they work at the wood lathe. To that end, I encourage all chapter officers, along with their members, to support the appointment or election of a Safety Officer in their chapter whose responsibility it is to evaluate and identify safe (or more importantly, UNsafe) woodturning operations at their chapter meetings, as well as leading efforts for safety training and safety awareness in all members.
Finally, I hope that all AAW members will continue to support woodturning by welcoming potential new turners through personal mentoring. As the popularity of woodturning continues to grow, chapters and individual members should take an active, positive role in assisting newcomers through teaching, providing guidance and support as they get started, and inviting them to join your local chapters and the AAW. I can personally tell you that it is very gratifying to see the smile of success on the face of a new turner you have helped with woodturning!! You can make a huge difference in a new woodturner’s experience by helping develop skills while passing on the passion!!
Turn Safely,
Rob Wallace
Member of the Board of Directors
American Association of Woodturners
