reloading room safety

What type of safety "rules" do you follow in your reloading area? What type of fire extinguishers do you have available?

I could not find any commercial available signs so I had to make a large sign that goes on the inside of the window in my re-loading room warning any potential fire fighters that there were re-loading components inside. Sorta like a hazardous materials sign. Other then that no special equipment. No smokers in home really cuts down on potential problems.

Len

Years ago while at a friends waiting for him to finish loading some rounds so we could go to the range his primer tube blew. Luckily no injuries.

#1 rule now is eye protection for everyone while work is being done.

- Dave

My rules are basic.  Only 1 can of powder on the bench at a time,unused powder goes from the measure right back into the can.  Eye protection when working with primers.  No distractions.  Extinguisher is at the top of the basement stairs.  Powder cans are on a rack against the basement wall away from the utilities.

First and foremost, develop your process, and stick to it.  And PAY ATTENTION to what you're doing at all times.


I have no fire extinguishers. My fire safety plan is to lose all my powder. 


Rules for my reloading area:

ALWAYS maintain a clean workspace.  

Only one powder is "out" at a time.
Powder hoppers are emptied back into appropriate bottle when reloading session is complete.
Powder bottle gets returned to powder storage when session is over.

Only one type of bullet is "out" at a time.
Bullets are emptied back into appropriate container when reloading session is complete.
All bullet containers get returned to storage when not in use.

Safety glasses and nitrile gloves for all reloading.
Safety glasses for gunsmithing.
Every case is looked directly into before bullet is put in place.
Every case is looked directly into before bullet is put in place.
Every case is looked directly into before bullet is put in place.
Conscious focus on that last one (three) must always be maintained.  Period.
No powder cop.  I will not trust a machine for that.
Cases with odd looking powder levels are pulled and dumped.
Cartridges I'm uncertain on in anyway get broken down.
Cartridges are periodically measured for COAL and crimp.
Powder charges are periodically measured to assure consistency.
No radio.  No TV.

Always always always stick to my process.  Once your process is developed, IF you deviate from it, you open yourself up to leaving out steps, some of which may get you hurt.

Just about every mistake made in reloading comes down to knowledge, organization, or paying attention/maintaining focus.  Sometimes, knowledge is out of your control because sometimes you can't know there's something you don't know.  But organization and focus/care are entirely in your control. Exercise due diligence with those, and you've knocked out the majority of the mistakes you might make.

Yeah, what everyone else said...

The only thing that I do that hasn't been mentioned is lock stuff up. My reloading room has a lock on the door, powder etc. is in a closet in that room that also locks. It's not going to keep a thief out but does wonders for keeping curious grandkids out. A 10 year old with an 8 pound jug of gunpowder is a really bad plan.

Clay

TexasShooter wrote: A 10 year old with an 8 pound jug of gunpowder is a really bad plan.
Clay

LOL

Reminds me about 50 years ago when at my uncles farm, my cousins and I discovered the dynamite that was used to blow up stumps and beaver dams. We were scared to death we found it knowing full well their would be hell to pay just for snooping around in the off limits sawmill. There were no stern lectures back then!

- Dave

I chose this forum for this post as a result of the respect I have for this group. Thanks for the responses.

I have a fire extinguisher at the door to my reloading room. Good lighting. Eye protection. No distractions (I do allow radio). I have a low prime warning on my Dillon 650. I have a Dillon powder check die also. I don't go for any speed records. I take a break when I'm getting tired/ unfocused (those breaks come sooner now). I use a piece of wide tape to note the powder and charge on my powder measures. When either changes, the tape gets replaced.

Looking into each case before seating a bullet to check the powder level is the safest method. Some have even put a little light on the press to help see into the case.. Powder measures may bridge the powder in the drop tube. One shell will get a light powder drop of 3/4. The next shell gets 1 1/4 powder charge. It happens.  Photos

I use a rcbs lock out die, if a charge is too low, too high or a squib it stops the press, more effective than looking and it doesn't fail if you forget to look. Not to be confused with a powder cop die which is useless imo cause it requires you to look at it for every shell, and trust me you will forget at some point.

I just looked at an RCBS lockout die on Youtube.  It actually looks very effective, more trustworthy than a powder cop.  I'd have to see how the guts work before I said "foolproof," but it looks like a well thought out safety device.  That said, I am leery of a device that allows me to pay less attention.  I also charge and bell at separate stations, so I don't have a spare station.  ;-)

I run one in my 1050 and one in my hornday LNL, I did this after having a double charge, even though I am very diligent when loading it only takes a second for a blip to turn into a squib or double charge. With the lock out the plunger must rise to a level you set per your powder charge then if it varies more than a couple of tenths more or less the plunger is not lined up and it stops the press from turning. It has saved me a couple times since installing them.

I keep the empty primer box and the powder canister I'm using right behind the press with none others in the area.  When either is emptied out of the press, the containers get moved.  It is obvious which primer and powder are in use.  I put loaded rounds in a loading tray nose up so I can see that they all are consistent.  Then they get loaded in boxes primer up and checked.  This added to many of the suggestions already noted above.