Safety in Operating Grinding Wheels. Grinding wheels, are prone to damage caused by improper handling and operation. Vitrified wheels, comprising the major part of grinding wheels used in industry, are held together by an inorganic bond which is actually a type of pottery product and therefore brittle and breakable.

It must also be understood that during the grinding process very substantial forces act on the grinding wheel, including the centrifugal force due to rotation, the grinding forces resulting from the resistance of the work material, and shocks caused by sudden contact with the work. To be able to resist these forces, the grinding wheel must have a substantial minimum strength throughout that is well beyond that needed to hold the wheel together under static conditions.

A damaged grinding wheel can disintegrate during grinding, which normally are constrained thus presenting great hazards to both operator and equipment. Safeguards have been formulated into rules and regulations and are set forth in the ANSI B7.1-1988, entitled the American National Standard Safety Requirements for the Use, Care, and Protection of Abrasive Wheels. All operators should be familiar with the rules.

Handling, Storage and Inspection. Grinding wheels should be hand carried, or transported, with proper support. A grinding wheel must not be rolled around on its periphery .The storage area, positioned near the grinding machines, should be free from excessive temperature variations and humidity. Specially built racks are recommended on which the smaller or thin wheels are stacked lying on their sides and...