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I completely agree that carts should be safe, tools should be used in a safe manner. I think that's the trade-offs with what-ifs. We can indeed bubble-wrap every single person and tool in a shop and still someone will get hurt - completely true.

We try to instill a mindset that if something can go wrong in a shop, on a machine, in a program - in fact, it will, and it will do so at the most inopportune time. #1, how likely is it to happen; #2, how can you prevent it from happening; #3, how can you safeguard against the likelihood of damage/injuries/death from this type of failure.

The most important thing is what can the single person do to make it safe for their own person; and then we can move forward with looking at how we can make the rest of the shop safe - as a group. To me, the personal stuff is the easiest - it only takes you and it doesn't take a superhuman effort or cost anything. Start with the low-hanging fruits and move up.

The other thing is that we have a mix of all different types of teenagers and young adults working with us. Some more mindful than others. I really don't want a moment of inattention to leave any permanent marks on them. We have boys and girls who have long hair, who tries to come into shop with long dangly sleeves, jewelry, long coats. We do try to prepare them that it is the shop policy - it's not about alienation or hurt feelings. It is about making sure that they come out from this experience empowered about what they can do and with all of their body parts intact.

Yes, I do show pictures of people with bits of metal shards stuck in their eyeball, fingers degloved, lacerations from sharp edges, hair ripped out and scalped, people entrapped under heavy equipment - those along with proper tool usage and safety training. It's like the old-school "Red Asphalt" driving school videos. It works for the majority of them. The ones who repeatedly and willfully violate shop policies are removed from the team.