On the Job Safety: Preventing Hand Tool Accidents

Dan Blank -- Expert Business Source, 10/2/2007 6:04:00 AM

Industrial Distribution provides some general hand tool safety tips, with a focus on how to most effectively use wrenches. An overview of their tips:

• Always wear safety goggles to protect your eyes.
• Never use “cheater bars” or hammers. 
•  Inspect and discard bent, worn or cracked tools. 
•  Use the correct drive size. Always choose the largest possible drive size—it is stronger and safer.
• Use the correct size socket. Do not use metric sockets on English-size fasteners or vice versa, because the fit is not snug.
• Place the socket all the way on the fastener.
• The safest wrench is a box or socket type because it is stronger and less likely to slip off the fastener.
• Open end, flare nuts and adjustable wrenches are not as strong as box or socket wrenches. The former are not intended for heavy loads, such as breaking frozen fasteners loose or final tightening.
• Avoid over-torquing. A torque wrench will permit tightening to the exact torque required for best performance and safety. A fastener that is over-tightened can be difficult to remove and may break during service from overloading.

Check out the Industrial Distribution website for more details, and more hand tool safety tips!