Safe Use and Maintenance of Hand and Power Tools

Follow OSHA guidelines when handling dangerous tools.

By Alexandra Walsh

Hand and power tools are common in daily life and across many industries. Despite their simplicity, they
pose safety risks and can cause serious injuries if misused or poorly maintained. Employers are tasked with making sure tools and equipment are safe, but likewise employees must use and care for them correctly.

Hammers, wrenches, chisels, pliers, screwdrivers, among other hand tools, are often underestimated as sources of danger. Although they may seem harmless, hand tools cause many injuries.

About 8% of all workplace injuries to be compensated involve using hand tools which can be severe, resulting in loss of fingers or eyesight. Injuries from hand and power tools amount to more than $15 million annually in medical expenses and lost productivity. Many hospital and doctor visits could be avoided with increased focus on hand and power tool safety.

Potential Injuries

According to OSHA, these are the leading causes of injuries from using hand and power tools:

• Hand tools pose injuries such as cuts, abrasions, amputations, and punctures. Since these tools are used to cut or move metal and wood, one single slip can seriously harm fragile human flesh.
• Repeated use also leads to injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome and damage to muscles, joints, and ligaments, especially if tools are misused or used improperly.
• Continuous vibration from power tools can cause numbness or poor circulation in the hands and arms.
• Eye injuries caused by flying chips of wood or metal are a common hazard and can cause needless and permanent blindness.
• Broken bones and bruises result when tools slip, fall from heights, or are thrown by careless workers, causing severe injuries. A hammer that falls from a ladder is a
  lethal weapon.
• Wooden handles can break and cause the tool’s head to fly off and hit the person using it or others.
• Workers using power tools that aren’t grounded properly can get shocked.

Accidents on the job happen more frequently when workers are doing repetitive work, when something unexpected happens, or when they are inexperienced or overconfident about using the tool.

Choosing and Caring for Tools

No matter how many years an employee has under their belt, regularly reviewing tips for hand and power tool safety is critical to staying safe.

• Buy quality tools. Hammers with wooden handles are not as safe as those made of steel. Make sure steel tools are heat-treated.
• Inspect tools regularly to make sure they are in good condition and work properly.
• If you find something wrong with a tool, don’t use it, and report the problem.
• Perform regular maintenance on your tools, like grinding or sharpening saw blades.
• Always follow the tool manufacturer’s instructions.
• Keep extra tools handy in case the tool you had planned to use is damaged.
• Store your tools in a safe place and keep their sharp edges away from someone who may go to grab the tool.
• When working up high, don’t leave tools where they could fall on workers below.

Electric Tools

Because of the potential dangers associated with power tools, OSHA provides specific safety guidelines for their use. OSHA requires many handheld power drills, tappers, angle grinders, saws, and sanders to be equipped with a constant-pressure switch that cuts off power when pressure drops. Many power tools with blades must have safety devices that allow the user to shut the tool off in a single motion.

One of the most serious workplace injuries involving power tools is electrical shock which can cause heart failure and burns. Sometimes a worker is shocked while on a ladder, then loses their balance, and is injured in a fall.

Tips for preventing electrical shock are at the top of the list of ways to stay safe using power tools:

• Use tools that are double-insulated or have a three-pointed power cord and are plugged into a power
  source with a rounded receptacle.
• Do not use electric tools in wet conditions unless they are approved for that use.
• Use a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) or an assured grounding program.
• Use PPE such as face protection or leather work gloves.
• Keep your work area dry and clean to avoid slipping while working with dangerous electric power tools.
• Be sure to find good footing, maintain balance, and secure your work with clamps or a vise to free both of your hands for safe use of power tools.
• Never carry portable electric tools by their cords and do not yank them from the power source.
• Prevent accidental starting by keeping your fingers away from the switch button while carrying a power tool.

Pneumatic Tools

Pneumatic nail gun accidents send 37,000 carpenters to the emergency room each year, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Most people have wounds to their fingers or hands. Sometimes, they have more serious injuries, such as eye injuries.

Wearing eye and face protection is an important safety measure when working with pneumatic nail guns, and OSHA closely monitors companies to ensure workers are protected. In the latest report on the most frequent safety violations, OSHA reports that construction companies’ failure to meet standards for eye and face protection are among the top 10 violations.

These tips for hand and power tool safety related to pneumatic tools are a good place to improve attention to safety.

• Verify that all parts of the tool are fastened securely before each use.
• Never point a compressed air gun at yourself or another person.
• When you are finished using an air gun, make sure the pressure is released before you break the hose connections.
• Never store an air gun that is loaded.
• Use a safety clip or retainer to prevent attachments from being ejected during operation, and use a chip guard when using high-pressure compressed air for cleaning. Be sure to limit the nozzle pressure to 30 pounds per square inch.
• Always wear eye protection.
• Secure a work environment by using screens to protect nearby workers from flying fragments.
• Never leave tools unattended.

Prepare Yourself and Your Space for Staying Safe

Using tools safely includes more than knowing the tools. Employees must pay attention to what they wear, how they carry their tools, and where they stand. To protect employees from the dangers of slips and electrical shock, managers should see that floors are kept as clean and dry as possible.

Tips for hand and power tool safety include common-sense practices:

• Don’t wear loose clothing or jewelry that can get caught in a tool’s moving parts.
• Make sure your work area is level and you have good balance when using tools.
• Be aware of the people around you and that they stay a safe distance from your workspace.
• Never climb a ladder with a tool in your hand. Instead, find someone on the ground to hoist tools up to you with a bucket or bag on a rope.
• Don’t carry pointed tools in your pocket. Carry them in a toolbox or cart instead.
• Use the right tool for the job. Don’t use a wrench to pound a nail when you should be using a hammer.
• Secure your project with a clamp or vise to keep it from slipping.

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Alexandra Walsh is the vice president of Association Vision, a Washington, D.C.–area communications company. She has extensive experience in management positions with a range of organizations.