With the amount of power and electricity used to operate almost everything around us, it’s easy to forget that electricity can be fatal. Many people go about their lives without paying heed to the hazard in our work environment and our homes.
Power tools are especially dangerous to their users, as they can cause serious injuries if they’re not well maintained, stored, or used properly.
To avoid this risk, one must be aware of the safety measure each time he uses a power tool to achieve optimum safety. In this guide, we highlight the most important safety tips that you should follow when handling one of these tools.
Electric Power Tools
There are special safety measures when it comes to using electric power tools like you should never use a power tool if the floor is wet, unclean, or cluttered.
Make sure to remove all obstacles out of the way to avoid nasty accidents. Water conducts electricity, so it’s not impossible to be electrocuted simply because the floor wasn’t dry.
For that reason, always ensure that the floors are clean, dry, and uncluttered. If the tool is wet, don’t use it until it dries, unless these tools are approved for use while wet.
Installing a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) or any other grounding program will help you avoid electrocution hazard. Tools that are double insulated and have 3-prong cords will typically be safer than their counterparts, so make sure that your tools fall into that category.
Inspect Your Tools First
You may have been using them for years or you might have just bought them. Either way, you’ll need to inspect the power tools that you have before you put it into use. When you’re using a power tool in particular, you want the best tools so that you can carry out your projects or work successfully.
If you want a great resource in this area, you’ll find multiple shops online that can ship high-quality power tools right to your doorstep.
It’s crucial to use reliable sources to ensure that you don’t have defective tools. Using defective or damaged tools will, of course, be dangerous, causing serious injuries, sight or auditory damage, or an electric shock.
For that reason, it’s important to make sure that the electric cords are in good condition. If they operate on battery energy, check the batteries and see if they’re functioning properly as well.
If you’re using pneumatic power tools, make sure that the compressed air supply corresponds to the compression rate of pneumatic tools that you have.
Wear PPE
Quality, however, won’t help you much when it comes to safety. If you want to increase your safety when you use power, this will be done all on your own and not because you’re using a certain model. You can start doing this by getting Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and wear these whenever you start operating one of your tools.
A PPE attire mainly consists of face shields and/ or goggles, gloves, isolation gowns, earmuffs or earplugs, half-face respirators or disposable respirators, safety boots, and safety helmets.
If your employees are operating power tools as well, make sure that donning PPE is a part of their protocol, to maximize safety.
Pneumatic Tools
When it comes to pneumatic tools, you’ll need to make sure that all parts of the tools are fastened before you use them. Pointing an air gun at yourself or anyone else is a big no, even if the pressure is released. Pneumatic tools can be dangerous for your eyes, so always make sure that they’re protected with goggles or glasses.
Also, using a safety clip or a retainer will prevent attachments from breaking off while you’re operating a pneumatic tool. If there are other workers around you, be sure to use screens to protect them from flying fragments.
For extra safety, release the pressure from your pneumatic tools before you break the connections and ensure that your air gun is stored while not loaded.
Clothing Hazards
Clothes can also be a catalyst for danger. Long draping sleeves, long hair, or long pant legs will make obstacles for you and will limit your efficiency while working.
In a best-case scenario, you can simply bear with it till you finish work and avoid wearing such clothing while working.
In a worst-case scenario, you might be injured, so it’s important to wear proper attire for operating power tools and keep personal jewelry stored away before using such equipment.
Now that you know how you can protect yourself while operating power tools, it would be easy to perform your work not worrying about accidents.
It should be noted that you must always abide by these safety rules and make a checklist if it helps. Doing this will make your employees abandon their unsafe habits and establish a secure work environment.
