Always wear safety glasses.
Use a vise or clamp your work piece to prevent it from spinning if the drill grabs. Never use your hands to hold your work piece.
Make sure the drill is tight and aligned in the chuck jaws. Remove the chuck key before turning on the drill. Never leave the key in the drill chuck.
Set the drill press for proper speed for the size drill being used and material being drilled.
Use a sheet metal drill or Rotex punch if material is less than 1/8”.
Always peck drill (periodically retract the bit when drilling thicker stock) to prevent long chips from building up on the drill.
Use special ground drill bits for brass, copper, and acrylic to prevent the bit from digging into part.
Use a brush or compressed air to remove chips. Do not use a rag when the machine is running.
Let the spindle coast to a stop on its own after turning off. Never grab the chuck with your hand. Wait until spindle has stopped before making any adjustments.
Do not use too much pressure when drilling. Check to see if bit is dull. Use a smaller drill first if a large hole is to be drilled.
Clean drill bits and return to proper place in rack. Wipe off drill press table and vise when done.