Tool Box Talk: Hand Tool – Injury Prevention

Hand Tool – Injury Prevention

Some real life accident causes

• Using the wrong sized spanners for the job.
• Attempting to lift too heavy weight
• Using a spanner or wrench as a hammer.
• Handling round objects leading to pinching, crushing
• Hammering on ring spanners.
• Over reaching to do a job and the spanner slipping.
• Flying objects from tools in bad condition.
• Tools falling from heights.

And there are many more!

Hand tool injury prevention is about:

• Improving our attitude and thus behaviour   “Start by always being correctly attired (PPE) and properly prepared for the task”
• Improving our awareness
• Understanding tool safety

What are hand tools?

• An extension for our arms and hands
• Equipment designed to do the tasks our fingers cannot
• Something to make tasks easier and more efficient

So how can we make sure our hand tools are kept in the best possible condition?

• Visually checking before use.
• Using them for their intended purpose.
• Having the correct tools before starting a task.
• Cleaning them before and after use.
• Storing them in the correct container or rack.
• Discontinue using worn out hand tools. Replace them.

Examples of Visual inspection

Ring spanners and open ended spanners. Check to ensure that no wear or distortion is visible in spanner head and that spanner is a good fit on the bolts used, the spanner shaft should be straight.

Pipe wrenches. Check jaws are in good condition with the teeth sharp and not worn, worm gear should be a good fit with no cracks or visible defects.

Hammers. Handles are not cracked or split and the head is securely attached. Make sure the handle is a sufficient length and the head has no cracks or pieces missing. A high proportion of the finger and hand injuries sustained are from the wrong use of hammers

Chisels. Make sure that the chisel head has not been damaged and is not mushroomed. The chisel blade is sharp and no visible defects are seen with any pieces missing.

Important Aspects of Hand Tool Safety

• Pre Planning
• Correct tools
• Tool conditions
• Tools at height
• Pinch points
• STOP

Hand tools have been designed with a special purpose; use these tools as they have been designed, if the job requires a specific tool use that tool do not improvise.

If you see someone doing it wrong STOP the job and explain why a few minutes now saves a long time to heal later

And a bonus quote from Vince Lombardi:

“The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand.”

Thanks for the share, TO!