Frequent and severe injuries caused by the abuse and neglect of hand and powered tools dictate that control and maintenance of tools be made a part of the University safety program. The correct tool must be selected for each job. Examples of unsafe practices include striking together hardened faces of hand tools; using a file or a screwdriver for a pry; using a wrench for a hammer; and using pliers instead of the proper wrench.
Tools should be kept in good condition. Examples of unsafe tools include wrenches with cracked or worn jaws, screwdrivers with broken points or split or broken handles, hammers with loose heads, broken or split handles, mushroomed heads on chisels, and dull saws.
Good Condition of Tools
Supervisors are required to ensure that all tools used by the employees, including tools and equipment furnished by the employees, are in a safe condition.
Safety Procedures and Tool Inspection
Procedures for the care, inspection, and safe use of all tools must be established and the supervisor is responsible for implementing a program whereby all employees using tools follow those procedures.
Personal Protective Equipment
Appropriate eye protection must be worn by all workers using hand tools which may generate sparks and/or airborne particles. (See OP-G-1.1.2.3.)
Spark resistant tools made of nonferrous materials should be used in environments that contain high levels of explosive substances.
Housekeeping
Toolboxes, tool racks or shelves, or other such storage devices must be provided and tools not in use must be safely stored in them.
Metal slivers, wood slivers, sawdust, moisture and grime should be removed from tools before they are stored. Never remove these particles with bare hands.
Specific Recommendations for Safe Use of Hand Tools
Impact Tools (chisels, punches, hammers)
Hammer-struck and striking tools should be made of forged, hardened steel so that they are hard enough to withstand blows without mushrooming excessively, and yet not be so hard that they chip or crack.
Never carry chisels, punches and other sharp tools in clothes pockets. Use carrying pouches that will fasten around the waist.
Chisels should be kept sharp and ground to a 60-degree angle. Mushroom heads should be ground off.
Eye protection must be worn when using chisels and punches (see OP-G-1.1.2.3). A shield or screen should be used to prevent injury to other workmen from flying particles.
Hammers must have securely wedged handles suited to the type of head used. The handle should be smooth, free of oil, shaped to fit the hand, and properly sized for the job.
Carpenter's or claw hammers are designed primarily for driving and drawing nails, and they are unsuitable for striking heavier objects, such as cold chisels. The corners of the claw should not be used as pries because they are susceptible to chipping and breaking.
Wrenches
There is a correct wrench for every nut and bolt. Oversize openings will not grip the corners securely and shims should not be used to compensate for an oversized opening. Using the wrong size wrench can round the corners of the bolt, or cause slippage, as well as make it difficult to then apply the proper size.
Remove caked dirt and grime from inside sockets to allow them to seat fully.
Never overload the capacity of a wrench by using a pipe extension on the handle or strike the handle of a wrench with a hammer.
Adjustable wrenches are generally recommended for light-duty jobs or when the proper size, fixed-opening wrench is not available. Caution must be exercised in using these wrenches, as they are likely to slip because of the difficulty in setting the correct size and the tendency for the jaws to "work" as the wrench is being used.
Prevent serious injuries by being careful not to allow pipe wrenches to slip on overhead pipes or fittings causing loss of balance and falls.
Machine wrenches are often incorrectly used as hammers. As a result, they soon become distorted and unsafe. Always use the proper tool for the job.
Screwdrivers must never be used as punches, wedges, pinch bars or pries. They are easily damaged causing blades to slip off the slots and injure workers' hands.
A screwdriver tip should fit the screw. A sharp square-edged bit will not skip as easily as a dull, rounded one, and it requires less pressure. The tip must be kept clean and sharp to permit a good grip on the head of the screw.
The part being worked should never be held in the hand. It should be laid on a bench or flat surface, or held in a vise.
Screwdrivers having blades or rivets extending through the handle should never be used for electrical work. Both blade and handle should be insulated except the tip.
Bladed Tools (knives, axes, wedges)
Many accidents have been caused by bladed tools (knives, axes, wedges) being used in an unsafe manner. Unsafe practices include: knives carried in pockets, or placed in toolboxes or on workbenches; axes used for sledgehammers, or with loose handles; wedges struck with a glancing blow becoming unguided projectiles.
Knives are more frequently the source of disabling injuries than any other hand tool. The principal hazard in the use of knives is the hand slipping from the handle onto the blade. The following safety procedures should be followed:
To use an axe safely, workers must be taught to lift it properly, to swing correctly, and to place the stroke accurately. The proper grip for a right-handed person is to have the left hand about 3 inches from the end of the handle, and the right hand 3/4 of the way up on the handle. A left-handed person should reverse the position of the hands.
An axman must make sure that he has a clear circle in which to swing the axe before he starts chopping. Also, he should remove all vines, brush, and shrubbery within the range. Overhead vines that may catch or deflect the axe must be removed. It is also advisable to wear safety shoes and protective eyewear when using an axe.
The use of wedges should be discouraged whenever possible (i.e., when splitting wood). The use of a maul is more effective and less dangerous. When wedges are struck with a hammer, the head of the hammer may be released from the shaft and travel some distance, possibly striking someone and causing injury. Safety shoes and protective eyewear should be worn if a wedge must be used.
Pliers and Nippers
Pliers are often considered a general-purpose tool and are often used for purposes for which they were not designed. Pliers are meant for gripping and cutting operations. They are not recommended as a substitute for wrenches because their jaws are flexible and frequently slip and do not hold the work securely.
The handle of electricians' pliers should be insulated. In addition, users should wear electricians' gloves.
Nippers sometimes cause injuries when they are used to cut short ends of wire. The following safety precautions should be followed:
Vises
Vises are used for holding material while it is being worked. Material can be securely clamped in the jaws of a vise and held while the work is performed.
The handle used to tighten the jaws of the vise should not be struck with a hammer to gain additional holding strength. Tighten with hands only.
When striking material held in a vise, eye protection must be worn in accordance with OP-G-1.1.2.3.
Saws
Saws should be properly selected for the job. Use a cross cut for cutting across the grain; a ripping saw should be used for cutting with the grain.
Saws must be kept sharp and the teeth kept well set to prevent binding.
Hacksaws should be adjusted in the frame to prevent buckling and breaking, but should not be tight enough to break off the pins that support the blade. Install blades with teeth pointing forward.
Crowbars
When a crowbar is needed, the proper size and kind of bar for the job should be used. Makeshifts, such as a piece of pipe or an iron bar, should never be substituted for a crowbar since they may skip and cause injury.
The crowbar should have a point or toe of such shape that it will grip the object to be moved, and a heel to act as a pivot or fulcrum. In some cases, a block of wood under the heel will prevent the crowbar from slipping and injuring the hand.
Do not leave crowbars lying on shop floors or work areas; they may cause a tripping hazard.
Jacks
The rated load must be legibly and permanently marked on every jack. The operator must use the jack according to manufacturers instructions, never to exceed the rated load.
Jacks must be blocked when positioned on foundations that are not firm. A block must also be placed between the cap and the load where there is a possibility of slippage.
The jack operator must ensure that the stop indicator is clearly visible and that he does not exceed the limit.
After the load has been raised, it must be cribbed, blocked, or otherwise secured.
Jacks must be properly lubricated at regular intervals. Hydraulic jacks that are exposed to freezing temperatures must be supplied with an adequate antifreeze liquid.
A checklist of questions to survey for hand equipment problems should be tailored to each of your operations. Some of the items may include: