WRONG: DON'T HANDLE TOOLS LIKE THIS
Compliments of the Hand Tools Institute
What are the worst things a person can do when using hand tools? The Hand Tools Institute found safety to be its members' biggest concern with hand tools. HTI found: No. 1. Failure to wear safety goggles or safety glasses with sideshields while using hand tools. Eye injuries are considered the most traumatic of the many thousands of hand tool accidents that are reported yearly by the U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. No. 2. Using the wrong tool for the job - such as using a tack hammer for driving a spike or hand maul to drive a finishing nail. No. 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 is to clamp work in a vise so both hands are free to handle the tool. No. 4. Improper tool maintenance. A worn tip on a screwdriver can result in a gashed hand. Similarly, a loose or damaged handle can turn a hammerhead into a deadly flying object. No. 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. No. 6. Striking one tool with another. Certain tools are made to strike other specific tools or materials. Use only the proper striking tools for these jobs. Don't use a wrench to drive a nail and don't use one hammer to strike another. Manufacturing plays a central role in the economic growth of our nation, primarily through a unique, interdependent system of innovation that affects all sectors of the economy. By nurturing innovations from concepts through to full-fledged improvements in products and processes, American manufacturing is responsible for providing the basis for more jobs, improved productivity, prosperity and a higher quality of life. Support American Manufacturing For more information, contact the Hand Tools Institute, 25 North Broadway, Tarrytown, NY 10591 or visit www.HTI.org. |