Hand and Portable Powered Tools and Other Hand Held Equipment

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Table of Contents

Introduction
The Regulatory Requirements
Potential Hazards and the Typical Areas where they May be Present
Measures for Controlling the Hazards
Conclusion
References

Introduction

Rapid industrialization in the United States has facilitated the invention of several tools and equipment which are used to produce various goods. Hand and portable powered tools are commonly used in workshops to repair or to manufacture new goods. However, these tools are also health hazards at the workplace (Tillman, 2007, p. 45). Hand and portable powered tools often cause fatal injuries, especially, if they are not used appropriately.

In the US, more than 400,000 emergency room visits per year are attributed to the injuries that occur due to the use of hand and powered tools. Consequently, employers and employees must take the necessary precautions to avoid the injuries that occur due to the use of these tools. This paper will highlight the significant regulatory requirements, the potential hazards, as well as, the recommendations for controlling the hazards that are associated with the use of hand and portable powered tools.

The Regulatory Requirements

OSHA requires all employers to ensure that the tools that are being used in their organizations are safe. The employers are also required to collaborate with their employees in order to identify workplace hazards and to implement measures that can help to control the identified hazards. The employees, on the other hand, are required to use the tools responsibly in order to avoid injuries. In this regard, OSHA requires users of hand and powered tools to observe the following regulations.

First, guards must be provided to protect employees from the injuries that can be caused by the exposed moving parts of a hand held equipment or a powered tool (OSHA, 2012). Some of the tools that require safety guards include shafts and flywheels. These tools must always be fitted with safety guards in order to prevent accidents or injuries at the workplace.

Second, all electric tools must be fitted with a three-wire cord that is connected to a ground receptacle. The cord must also be double insulated in order to prevent shocks. Electric tools must be operated according to their manufacturers’ recommendations. Thus, the employers must ensure that all tools have user manuals that guide their use. Additionally, electric tools should be operated in areas with adequate light in order to avoid wrong connections and tripping hazards that can be caused by the tools’ power cords.

Third, pneumatic tools such as chippers and drills must be checked on a regular basis in order to ensure that they are properly fitted to the air hose. The users of these tools must examine them on a regular basis in order to identify and repair the damaged parts (OSHA, 2012). Employers are required to restrict access to areas where tools are being used in order to prevent injuries. Finally, the employees must be trained to use the tools and equipment appropriately.

Potential Hazards and the Typical Areas where they May be Present

Hand and portable powered tools are associated with the following hazards. Inappropriate use of hand and powered tools is one of the major causes of injuries at the workplace.

Concisely, tools such as chisels are likely to break if they are used for the wrong purposes. The broken pieces can fly off and hit the user or his fellow workers. Similarly, a hummer with a wooden handle that is either damaged or loosely fitted can cause a fatal accident.

In this case, the hummer’s head is likely to fly off and injure the person who is using it or other workers. Moving parts of equipment such as blades and belts can cause serious cuts if they are not fitted with safety guards (Bohle & Quinlan, 2000, p. 78). Additionally, tools which are used for cutting such as power saws can cause fatal cuts if they are not used properly or if they are not well maintained.

The use of hand-held electric tools can cause severe shocks and burns. Electric shocks are very dangerous since they often cause death. Additionally, they usually cause health risks such as heart attacks, as well as, tissue damages. Electric shocks tend to occur when the tool is faulty or the recommended power supply is exceeded. Inappropriate storage of hand and portable powered tools can also cause tripping at the workplace.

Tripping can cause severe injuries such as fractures and cuts. Apart from causing direct injuries, hand and powered tools often cause sound pollution (Bohle & Quinlan, 2000, p. 82). For example, the use of hammers in metal workshops for panel beating activities often causes a lot of noise. Tools with moving parts can also produce a lot of noise that can be harmful to the operator and the neighbors.

The aforementioned hazards can be present in any work station where hand and portable powered tools are being used. Some of the most common areas where these tools are used include the following. To begin with, hand and portable powered tools are used in, nearly, all wood and metal workshops. In wood workshops, tools such as hummers, chisels and saws are used to manufacture pieces of furniture.

In metal workshops, electric grinders and hummers among others are used to shape metals and to manufacture different metallic products. The employees in these workshops are exposed to the hazards that are associated with the use of hand and portable powered tools (Bohle & Quinlan, 2000, p. 87). People who are living around the workshops are also likely to be affected by the sound pollution that occurs due to the use of the tools in these workshops.

The hazards are also present in construction sites. Most construction works such as building houses using timber requires the use of tools such as electric saws, hummers and drills among others. In this case, the employees who are involved in the construction work are directly exposed to the hazards.

In some factories, hand and portable powered tools and equipment are used to manufacture goods. This usually happens in factories where automation is impossible or the production process requires the use of hand and powered tools (Bohle & Quinlan, 2000, p. 93). In a factory setting, the tools pose a great danger since their use can cause a major accident such as a fire outbreak.

For instance, an electric fault in a tool can cause sparks which eventually develops into a fire, especially, if highly inflammable materials are being used in the factory. Finally, the hazards associated with the use of hand tools can be present in residential areas. Most people have hand tools such as screwdrivers. However, they hardly know how to use the tools correctly. In this context, the owners of the tools are exposed to the danger of being injured.

Measures for Controlling the Hazards

Several measures have been proposed by OSHA to help in controlling the hazards that are associated with the use of hand and portable powered tools. The best method for managing a hazard involves eliminating its causes (Leiter, Zanaletti, & Argentero, 2009, pp. 46-50). This means that the use of hand and portable powered tools should be eliminated.

Since this is not likely to be possible, the most practical measure should focus on promoting the correct use of the tools. In this regard, the following measures can be considered. First, employers must conduct regular health and safety audits in their premises in order to identify potential hazards. Early identification of hazards provides the opportunity for taking remedial action in time.

Second, all employees must receive adequate training concerning the use of various hand and portable powered tools. The rationale of this strategy is that most injuries often occur due to inappropriate use of hand and portable powered tools. The employees should also be trained on the hazards that are associated with the use of the tools and how such hazards can be managed. For example, all employees should undergo training on how to offer first aid in the event of an accident.

Third, personal protective equipment should always be used in order to prevent injuries. For example, using gloves can help in reducing cuts. All employees should be able to access the personal protective equipment at the workplace. Fourth, tools must always be stored correctly when they are not being used (Leiter, Zanaletti, & Argentero, 2009, pp. 46-50).

Access to the tools must be limited to authorized individuals who are capable of using them correctly. This will help in avoiding injuries that normally occur due to inappropriate use of tools. Additionally, employees must be encouraged to use the right tool or equipment for the right purpose.

Fifth, keeping all tools and equipment in good condition can help in reducing accidents at the workplace. All damaged tools must be repaired before being used. Similarly, the tools and equipment which are not well guarded should not be used. Finally, all tools and equipment must be used according to the manufacturers’ specifications. For instance, the power supply that is used in electric tools should not exceed the recommended ratings.

Conclusion

According to OSHA, all employers are required to provide their employees with safe hand and portable powered tools. Additionally, the employees must be able to use the tools appropriately. The most common hazards that are associated with the use of these tools include injuries such as cuts, burns, fractures and electric shocks. The hazards are often present in workplaces such as workshops, factories and construction sites where hand and portable powered tools are highly used.

The measures that can be used to control the hazards include correct storage of the tools, using personal protective equipment and appropriate use of the tools (Tillman, 2007, p. 76). This paper highlighted the significant regulatory requirement, potential hazards and the measures for controlling the hazards that are associated with the use of hand and portable powered tools. The findings indicate that the benefits of using these tools can only be maximized if the hazards associated with them are controlled.

References

Bohle, P., & Quinlan, M. (2000). Managing Occupational Health and Safety. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Leiter, P., Zanaletti, W., & Argentero, P. (2009). Occupational Risk Perception, Safety Training and Injury Prevention: Testing a Model in Italian Printing Industry. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 3(4), 46-50.

OSHA. 2012. 1910 Subpart P: Hand and Portable Powered Tools and Other Hand-Held Equipment. Retrieved from https://www.osha.gov/oshstats/index.html.

Tillman, C. (2007). Principles of Occupational Health and Hygiene. New York: McGraw-Hill.

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