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Tool safety
HTI compiles list of
most common hand tool mistakes
As
part of its observance of National Hand Tool Safety Month in May, the
Hand Tools Institute asked its members to list the most common
mistakes people make when using these tools. The answers may or may
not surprise you.
The
top six responses from HTI members were:
1)
Failure to wear safety goggles or safety glasses with side shields
when using hand tools. The U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
considers eye injuries the most traumatic of the many thousands of
hand tool accidents reported each year.
2)
Using the wrong tool for the job. This includes such mistakes as using
a tack hammer for driving a spike or a hand maul to drive a finishing
nail.
3)
Right tool, improper use. Even the best-made tool will botch a job
when used improperly. Striking a nail with a hammer cheek instead of
its face can cause a nailing problem or an accident. Handling a chisel
incorrectly — such as pushing a chisel with one hand while the other
holds the work in front of the cutting edge — can cause severe
injury. The solution? Clamp the work in a vise so your hands are free
to handle the tool.
4)
Improper tool maintenance. A worn screwdriver tip can lead to a gashed
hand. Similarly, a loose or damaged handle can turn a hammer head into
a deadly flying object.
5)
Overworking a tool’s capabilities. The most common error probably is
to use a cheater bar to increase the leverage of a wrench. This can
result in serious injury.
6)
Striking one tool with another. Certain tools are made to strike other
specific tools or materials. Use only proper striking tools for these
jobs. Don’t use a wrench to drive a nail and don’t use one hammer
to strike another.
This
article appeared in the June/July 2004 issue of MRO Today magazine.
Copyright 2004.
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