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Hand Tool Use, Maintenance & Storage
Hand tools are nonpowered. They include anything from axes to wrenches. The greatest hazards posed by hand tools result from misuse and improper maintenance.
The supervisor is responsible for the safe condition of tools and equipment used by his workers, but the workers have the responsibility of using and maintaining tools properly.
Supervisors should caution workers that saw blades, knives, or other tools be directed away from aisle areas and other workers working in close proximity. Knives and scissors must be sharp. Dull tools can be more hazardous than sharp ones.
When workers are working with hand knives, boning knives, draw knives, and scissors, they should use appropriate personal protective equipment such as wire mesh gloves, wrist guards, arm guards, and aprons or belly guards.
Safety requires that floors be kept as clean and dry as possible to prevent accidental slips with or around dangerous hand tools.
Around flammable substances, sparks produced by iron or steel hand tools can be a dangerous ignition source. Where this hazard exists, sparkresistant tools made from brass, plastic, aluminum, or wood will decrease the risk.
Some examples:
Using a screwdriver as a chisel may cause the tip of the screwdriver to break and fly, hitting the user or other employees.
If a wooden handle on a tool such as a hammer or an axe is loose, splintered, or cracked, the head of the tool may fly off and strike the user or another worker.
A wrench must not be used if its jaws are sprung, because it might slip.
Impact tools such as chisels, wedges, or drift pins are unsafe if they have mushroomed heads. The heads might shatter on impact, sending sharp fragments flying.
The employer is responsible for the safe condition of tools and equipment used by employees but the employees have the responsibility for properly using and maintaining tools.
Employers should caution employees that saw blades, knives, or other tools be directed away from aisle areas and other employees working in close proximity. Knives and scissors must be sharp. Dull tools can be more hazardous than sharp ones.
Appropriate personal protective equipment, e.g., safety goggles, gloves, etc., should be worn due to hazards that may be encountered while using portable power tools and hand tools.
Safety requires that floors be kept as clean and dry as possible to prevent accidental slips with or around dangerous hand tools.
Around flammable substances, sparks produced by iron and steel hand tools can be a dangerous ignition source. Where this hazard exists, spark-resistant tools made from brass, plastic, aluminum, or wood will provide for safety.
Hand Tool Use, Maintenance & Storage
The use of safety hand tools should be a key component of most industrial safety programs. An understanding of the hand tool’s intended use and environment, combined with proper tool selection, maintenance and storage, will greatly reduce the risk of explosion and fire.
The article offers the following common-sense guidelines for Tool Use, Maintenance and Storage, consistent with OSHA General Industry Standard 1910.242 and HTI recommendations:
Keep non-sparking tools clean and free from ferrous or other contaminants, which may impair the non- sparking properties.
Do not use non-sparking hand tools in direct contact with acetylene, due to the possible formation of explosive acetylides, especially in the presence of moisture.
During normal use, all hammers and chisels will progressively develop some damage to the striking faces of hammers or the cutting edge and striking end of chisels. As part of the normal operating and safety procedures, these tools should be returned to the workshop, as with steel tools, to have the faces and heads redressed. This is essential to prevent eye damage resulting from chips detaching from the item during use (as supported by OSHA Standards 1910.266 and 1926.301).
Do not store hammers and other hand tools fitted with wooden handles in places where the handles may dry out and shrink. This will increase the risk of the handle breaking or the head becoming loose (as supported by OSHA Standard 1910.266).
Avoid overstrikes, causing damage to the shaft. Supply replacement handles are often available from the manufacturer, and should be fitted by a competent operator, using an approved method of fitting and paying particular attention to the fitting of the wedges (as supported by OSHA Standard 1926.301).
Fiberglass handles can offer advantages over wooden handles in terms of breaking stress and tolerance for adverse environmental conditions. Fiberglass shafts fail progressively, rather than catastrophically, reducing the risk of sudden failure, injury or damage.
When selecting a wrench, the jaw opening should have a close and tight fit on the head of the nut or bolt to which it is being applied. This is especially true with non-sparking tools, as they typically do not have the hardness of steel tools.
Tools are designed for specific use. As with any tool, additional torque should not be applied through the use of "cheater bars." In addition to the probability that the tool will be damaged, this is a dangerous practice for the safety of the operator. Wrenches should not be used as levers; nor screwdrivers as chisels, and so on.
The accepted standards of safety and maintenance for common steel hand tools must also be adopted with non-sparking hand tools, in addition to any specific recommendations resulting from the alloys used.
When sharpening non-spark safety tools, follow normal safety procedures, such as the provision of eye and face protection, adequate extraction and dust collecting facilities.
This article introduces hand tool useing, maintenance and storage.
Keywords
Hand tools
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