Injuries are commonly caused by all of the following except

• A. Sharp tools
• B. Loose clothing
• C. Spills and slips
• D. Flying wood chips

Answer: (A)

Injuries in a cabinet shop are most often tied to the working environment and how equipment is used, rather than to the tools themselves when safety practices are followed. Spills and wet floors create slip hazards that can lead to falls, which are a common source of injuries. Loose clothing is a serious risk because it can catch on moving parts of machinery, pulling a worker in and causing injury. Flying wood chips are a frequent hazard from cutting and planing operations, posing eye and skin injuries if proper guards and eye protection aren’t used.

Sharp tools, while dangerous, are highly controlled risks. With guards, push sticks, sharp blade maintenance, and strict operating procedures, the likelihood of an injury from a sharp tool is considerably reduced compared with the other hazards listed. That’s why this item is the one that doesn’t fit as a common injury source in the context of proper shop safety, making it the exception.