Power Tool Safety

1
Power Tool Safety
2
Introduction

• Power tools can be useful, yet dangerous when
  used incorrectly, stored improperly, or not
  maintained in good condition..
• Your hand tools are an important part of your
  job, and should be treated, cared-for, and used
  in a professional manner.
• This presentation will help to provide you ways
  in which you can help to use power tools in the
  proper way, so they will be there for you when
  you need them.

3
Agenda

• General Power Tool Rules
• Precautions
• Storage
• Experience
• Prepare Yourself
• Prepare The Workplace
• Know Prepare The Tool
• Use the Right Tool
• Summary

4
Overview

• Almost all of us use power tools--at work and at
  home. When used incorrectly or not taken care of
  properly, hand tools can do enough damagepower
  tools can be even more damaging. One of the most
  frequent causes of power tool injuries is caused
  from failing to wear personal protective
  equipment, or failing to follow approved safety
  guidelines.

5
General Power Tool Rules

1. Most accidents with power tools are the result of
   one of the following three things
2. Failing to wear personal protective equipment
   (PPE).
3. Failing to follow approved safety guidelines.
4. Using the wrong tool for the job.

6
Power Tool Rules

• Before using a power tool, take a minute to
  inspect it. Inspecting the tool can reveal
  problems which could make the tool unsafe.
  Inspect not only the tool, but yourself as well.
  Make sure you are wearing the proper attire to
  perform the job without risking an injury. Before
  plugging in the power tool
• Make sure nuts and bolts are properly tightened.
• Use a ground fault circuit interrupter.
• Remove any rings or other jewelry.
• Don't wear loose-fitting clothing.
• Use PPE, such as face shields or safety goggles.
• Use the tool only for the task for which it is
  designed.

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Power Tool Rules

• Electricity Creates Hazards
• As with anything else that involves electricity,
  power tools should be monitored for loose or
  fraying cords. The wrong cord, one that is not
  double-insulated or does not have three prongs,
  spells trouble. Make sure you don't use power
  tools in wet areas. Never place your finger on
  the activating trigger when transporting a power
  tool. This could cause it to start unexpectedly
  and result in an accident.

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Power Tool Rules

• Other Precautions
• Power tools are designed for specific jobs. NEVER
  try to modify a fool to perform a job which it
  was never engineered to do. Power tools have
  guards installed to protect you from injury.
  Never remove a guard from a power tool and make
  sure all guards are functioning in proper working
  order.

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Power Tool Rules

• Other Precautions
• Before using a power tool, take a look around
  you. Make sure your work area is free of clutter
  or dampness. Avoid loose-fitting clothing which
  can become entangled in the device and cause an
  injury. Remember, power tools can become hot
  after use. Avoid touching the motor casing to
  prevent burns

10
Power Tool Rules

• Proper Storage Is Important, Too
• When you are finished using a power tool,
  disconnect it immediately from its power source.
  To properly store a power tool, don't wrap the
  electrical cord around it. This can cause the
  cord to break, creating an electrical hazard.
  Store the tool in a dry, cool place.

11
Power Tool Rules

• Experience Is Not Best Teacher
• We learn from our mistakes, often being sadder,
  but wiser. Newfound wisdom, however, is little
  solace to a person severely injured or maimed for
  life because he failed to observe proper safety
  procedures. Experience alone is not the best
  teacher.

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Power Tool Rules

• Experience Is Not Best Teacher
• "Just give me the short form, and I'll learn the
  rest as I go along" is, unfortunately, an
  attitude assumed by some workers when presented
  with an unfamiliar power tool. Trial-and-error is
  no way to learn how to operate a power tool!
  "Anything in particular I should know about using
  this?" is a postmature and improper question
  asked when applied to a power tool with which the
  user is unfamiliar.

13
Power Tool Rules

• Experience Is Not Best Teacher
• The novice should begin by thoroughly reading the
  instruction manual provided with the tool. If
  there is anything not understood, the worker
  should request clarification from a qualified,
  experienced party. Only after the manufacturer's
  instructions are thoroughly understood should the
  novitiate ask, "Now...Is there anything else you
  can think of that I should know?"

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Power Tool Rules

• Prepare Yourself
• Never operate a power tool when under the
  influence of alcohol, illicit drugs, medication
  that might affect mental acuity or reaction time,
  or when fatigued. If you know you might be called
  upon to use a power tool the following day, forgo
  excessive "I had a hard night" style partying.

15
Power Tool Rules

• Prepare Yourself
• Determine the personal protective equipment
  recommended or mandated when using the tool --
  and wear it. Such equipment includes face
  shields, eye protection, respirators, hearing
  protection, and hand and foot protection. Do not
  wear loose clothing or jewelry that might be
  drawn into the tool, and properly secure long
  hair tresses.

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Power Tool Rules

• Prepare the Workplace
• Begin by clearing obstructions that can impede
  safe work procedures, and provide adequate
  lighting. Post appropriate barriers and warning
  signs if the work being done might pose a danger
  to others, or if the intrusion of others might
  pose a danger to yourself.

17
Power Tool Rules

• Prepare the Workplace
• If the work area contains noxious fumes or a
  potentially ignitable atmosphere, purge and
  provide adequate ventilation.
• Provide scaffolding, portable manlift, or
  appropriate ladder positioned so that a firm
  stance can be maintained without overreach and a
  firm grip can be maintained on the tool.
  Overreach is a major cause of accidents when
  using portable power tools.

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Power Tool Rules

• Know and Prepare the Tool
• A thorough understanding of the particular tool
  and any special safety precautions pertaining to
  its use is a paramount consideration in power
  tool safety. There are also general safety
  considerations that must be observed when
  preparing any power tool for use.
• A check of the tool should be made to ensure that
  it is in good condition, with all safety guards
  in place and in proper working order.
• A check should be made for power supply
  integrity. The power supply cord or hose should
  be inspected, and repair or replacement
  undertaken if any defects are uncovered.
• Check to ensure that accessories are properly
  rated for use with the tool. For example, a wire
  brush, grinding wheel, or abrasive cutoff wheel
  rated for 3000 rpm must not be used in a tool
  delivering 5000 rpm.
• Grinding and cutoff wheels should be inspected
  carefully for cracks. Do not overtighten when
  installing the wheel, and use only the driving
  flanges and stress-relief blotters provided by
  the manufacturer. Before placing the tool in
  service, it is also advisable to operate it at
  top speed for 1 min in a protected enclosure to
  verify wheel integrity.

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Power Tool Rules

• Know and Prepare the Tool
• Check to ensure that accessories such as saw
  blades and drill bits are sharp and in good
  condition. A dull saw blade, for example, invites
  hangup and injury from kickback. Dull tools also
  bring on operator fatigue and accompanying loss
  of alertness.
• Sockets designed for hand tools should not be
  used with impact wrenches, because they can
  shatter when exposed to the force exerted by a
  power tool.
• Make certain that the tool is disconnected from
  the power supply cord or hose before attaching
  any accessories or making adjustments, and make
  sure that adjustment keys or wrenches are removed
  before returning the tool to service.
• Make sure that the press-to-operate trigger
  mechanism restores freely to the "off" position.
  If the tool has a lock-on operating mechanism,
  make sure that it releases freely.

20
Power Tool Rules

• Use the Right Tool Right Way
• The expression "Having the right tool is half the
  job" tells only half the story. You must also use
  the right tool the right wayor you might wind up
  in no condition to finish the job. Make sure that
  the tool is properly sized for the job, and is
  the right tool for the job. A circular saw is no
  substitute for a chain saw!
• There are several general safety rules to apply
  when using power tools.
• Disconnect the tool from its power source if it
  will be unused and remain unattended over a
  lengthy period of time, and disconnect the power
  supply before undertaking any adjustments or
  accessory change.
• Never lift or drag a tool by its power supply
  cord or hose.
• Always make certain that the workpiece is
  properly supported or clamped.
• If the tool is equipped with side handles, use
  them when possible. This approach is especially
  important with tools such as orbital sanders,
  which can kick back if they snag. Observe extra
  caution and anticipate possible problems if space
  constraints dictate the removal of side handles.

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Power Tool Rules

• Use the Right Tool Right Way
• Turn the tool off immediately if abnormal noise
  or vibration is experienced.
• Do not side-load abrasive cutoff wheels grind on
  the periphery only to prevent cracking and
  shattering.
• When using grinders, cutoff wheels, and sanders,
  make sure that the spark stream is directed away
  from persons and combustibles.
• Electric heat guns can develop 1000 F at the
  nozzle. This temperature is well above the
  ignition point of many materials. A fully-charged
  fire extinguisher should be nearby whenever a
  heat gun is used. For reasons of toxicity, a heat
  gun should never be used to strip lead-based
  paint.
• When using an electric drill, make certain that
  you will not be drilling into piping or electric
  wiring. As you approach hole breakthrough, grip
  the tool firmly and reduce pressure to prevent
  the bit from seizing, with a possible result of
  the tool rotating about the bit. Do not attempt
  to free a jammed bit by starting and stopping the
  drill motor. Unplug the tool and free the bit.

22
Power Tool Rules

• Use the Right Tool Right Way
• Circular saws can be particularly dangerous when
  used improperly -- especially so, because they
  are subject to kickback in the direction of the
  user when the blade binds. Any change in the
  normal high-pitched whine of the circular saw
  blade should be interpreted to signify binding
  and potential kickback.
• To prevent circular saw blade binding, the
  workpiece should, when the nature of the cut so
  dictates, be supported on both sides of the cut.
  The possibility of blade pinching is reduced by
  setting the depth of cut to not more than ¼-in.
  greater than the thickness of the stock. The less
  blade exposed to the stock, the less chance of
  binding and kickback.
• Extra caution should be observed when cutting
  wet, knotty, or warped stock such materials
  invite pinching and resultant kickback. The blade
  guard should be checked occasionally to ensure
  that it is not bound up by cutting debris,
  preventing it from operating freely. This check
  should be undertaken especially often when
  cutting wet stock.

23
Summary

• Power Tool Rules
• Use your tool only for the specific task it was
  designed to do.
• Read the owner's manual before using your tool.
• Never use any tool--power or manual--unless you
  are trained to do so.
• Inspect before each use and replace or repair if
  parts are worn or damaged.
• Inspect screws, nuts, bolts and moveable parts to
  make sure they are tightened.
• Before plugging or unplugging tools, be sure
  power switch is turned to "OFF."

24
Summary

• Power Tool Rules
• Never disconnect power by pulling on the
  cord--remove the plug from the outlet.
• Never clean or repair a tool unless power is
  disconnected. (Repair tools only if you are
  trained to do so.)
• When working on ladders or scaffolding, rest
  power tools on a flat surface or in a bin secured
  to the ladder itself. ( A falling tool can
  seriously injure a coworker or bystander.)
• Use a ground fault circuit interrupter when
  working with power tools.
• Do not wear rings, jewelry, or loose clothing
  when operating power tools.
• Wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), such as
  face shields, safety goggles, disposable masks,
  etc. as required.