Hand Tool Safety: General
Hand Tool Safety: General
- Keep all hand tools clean and in good working condition. Remove from use any tools that are damaged or unsafe and notify your supervisor.
- Do not continue to work if your safety glasses become fogged. Stop work and clean the glasses until the lenses are clear and defogged.
- Use tied-off containers to keep tools from falling from scaffolds and other elevated work platforms.
- Carry all sharp tools in a sheath or holster.
- Tag worn, damaged or defective tools “Out of Service” and do not use them.
- Do not use a tool if its handle has splinters, burrs, cracks, or splits, or if the head of the tool is loose.
- Do not use impact tools, such as hammers, chisels, punches, or steel stakes that have mushroomed heads.
- When handing a tool to another person, direct sharp points and cutting edges away from yourself and the other person.
- When using knives, shears or other cutting tools, cut in a direction away from your body.
- Use alternate cutting tools whenever possible.
- Do not chop at heights above your head when you are working with a hand axe.
- Do not carry sharp or pointed hand tools such as screwdrivers, scribes, aviation snips, scrapers, chisels, or files in your pocket unless the tool, or your pocket, is sheathed.
- Do not perform makeshift repairs to tools.
- Do not use “cheaters” on pipe wrenches, wrenches, load binders or “boomers”.
- Do not carry tools in your hand when you are climbing. Carry tools in tool belts or hoist the tools to the work area using a hand line.
- Do not throw tools from one location to another, from one employee to another, or from scaffolds or other elevated platforms.
- Transport hand tools only in toolboxes or tool belts. Do not carry tools in your clothing.
- Do not carry pins, screwdrivers or other sharp tools in your shirt pocket when working at a height and utilizing a full body harness fall protection system, or when using a full body boatswain’s chair to be hoisted.
- Select/purchase ergonomically-designed hand tools.