E.M.C.
I
NHA Project
DATE : 2 April 2013
SUBJECT : 4th WEEKLY TOOLBOX MEETING ( HAND TOOLS )
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Objective :
To review the basic rules for hand-tool safety and to explain the reasons behind company tool control and
maintenance procedures.
I. Why does the use of Hand Tools require Safety Procedures?
A. Each year, hand tools are responsible for about 7 to 8 percent of all compensable injuries.
B. These injuries often involve severe disabilities as listed below and might be incurred by the hand tools
commonly used by the workers;
1. Loss of eye/vision, by using striking tools without eye protection.
2. Puncture wounds, by using screwdriver with a loose handle which causes the hand to slip.
3. Severed fingers, tendons and arteries, by using a dull knife that requires so much force that your hand
may slip down the blade.
4. Broken bones, by using the wrong hammer for the job and smashing a finger.
5. Contusions, by using a small wrench for a big job, bruising a knuckle.
6. Infections, by ignoring a cut in the skin made by a dirty chisel.
C. Perhaps the major reason for such accidents is that most people take hand tools for granted and they
use them at home and are not accustomed to following regular inspection and maintenance procedures.
II. Four basic rules for hand tool safety:
1. Select the right tool for the job.
2. Keep tools in good condition.
3. Use tools properly.
4. Keep tools in a safe place.
III. Specific safety procedures for use and handling of tools in your area:
1. Metal-cutting tools (chisels, hacksaws, files, cutters, etc.) Never strike a file against metal vises or
other objects.
2. Wood-cutting tools (wood chisels, saws, hatchets, etc.) Never use axes or hatchets on metal, stone
or concrete.
3. Miscellaneous cutting tools (planes, scrapers, bits, knives, etc.) Never carry a scraper around in
your pocket.
4. Torsion tools (wrenches, tongs, screwdrivers, etc.) Never hold small work in your hand when
using screw a driver.
5. Shock tools (hammers. Etc.) Never use a hammer with a chipped face.
IV. Centralized tool control:
1. Assures uniform inspection and maintenance of tools by trained employee.
2. Promotes tool safety; tool room attendant recommends, issues right type of tool.
3. Facilitates the keeping of effective records on tool failure and other accident causes.
4. Brief review of company tool control procedures;
a. System for checking out and returning tools
b. Getting tools repaired or reconditioned
c. Tool inspection procedures
5. Policy regarding personal tools;
a. Quality and safety standards that must be met.
b. Inventory and inspection.
V. Maintenance and Repair:
A. Responsibility for maintenance and repair of hand tools
1. Toolroom attendant’s responsibility – to store tools safely and conveniently, to ship defective tools to
maintenance, etc.
2. Employee’s responsibility – to use the right tool for the job, to use it correctly, to check its condition
before using, to return it to its right spot, etc.
3. Supervisor’s responsibility – to periodically inspect toolroom housekeeping, tool maintenance, etc.
B. Regular maintenance procedures (if applicable and or required)
1. Tempering
2. Safe-ending
3. Dressing
4. Checking handles
VI. Safety procedures for carrying tools:
1. Carrying tools while climbing; should be properly secured.
2. Avoiding loose and mislaid tools.
3. Chisels, screwdrivers, and pointed tools; should never be stuck into pockets.
4. Handing tools from one worker to another; always offer the handle of the tool.
