HandandPowerToolGuidelinesGS-91Page1HANDANDPORTABLEPOWERTOOLSAFETYGUIDELINESPURPOSEThepurposeofthisguidancedocumentistopromotethesafeuseof,andtoreducethelikelihoodofinjuriesinvolvinghandorpowertools.SCOPETheserequirementsapplytoallUniversitydepartmentsandtheiremployeeswheretheuseofhandorpowertoolsareinuseorwillbeused.Thiswillmostnotablyapplytoemployeesinvolvedinindustrial,maintenance,constructionandmanuallabortradeareas.RESPONSIBILITIESEnvironmentalHealthandSafety:EHSisresponsibleforreviewinghazardsassociatedwithhandandportablepowertoolsduringannualshopinspections.Thetoolswillbereviewedtomakesuretheyareingoodworkingorder,suitableforthejobstheyareusedfor,anddonotposeahazardtotheoperator.EHSisresponsibleforreviewingandupdatingtheHand&PortablePowerToolsGuidelines.EHSandsupervisorscanalsoworkjointlyinthedevelopmentofJobSafetyAnalysisforhandtoolsthatpresentauniquehazardtotheemployee.SupervisorandEmployee:Supervisorledtrainingisrequireduponemploymentforemployeeswhooperatehandandportablepowertools.•SelecttheRightToolfortheJob:Examplesofunsafepracticesare:Strikinghardenedfacesofhandtoolstogether(suchasusingacarpenter'shammertostrikeanotherhammer,hatchet,ormetalchisel),usingafileforapry,awrenchforahammer,usinga‘cheater’,andpliersinsteadoftheproperwrench.•KeepToolsinGoodWorkingCondition:Wrencheswithcrackedworkjaws,screwdriverswithbrokenpointsorbrokenhandles,hammerswithlooseheads,dullsaws,andextensioncordsorelectrictoolswithbrokenplugs,improperorremovedgroundingprongs,orsplitinsulationareexamplesoftoolsinpoorconditions.Toolsthathavedeterioratedinthismannermustbetakenoutofservice.•UseToolstheRightWay:Screwdriversappliedtoobjectsheldinthehand,knivespulledtowardthebody,andfailuretogroundelectricalequipmentarecommoncausesofaccidents.•Place/Keep/StoreToolsinaSafe&SecurePlace:Manyaccidentshavebeencausedbytoolsfallingfromoverheadandbyknives,chisels,andothersharptoolsHandandPowerToolGuidelinesGS-91Page2carriedinpocketsorleftintoolboxeswithcuttingedgesexposed.Toolsshouldbekeptawayfromworkbenchedges.Thefollowingproceduresareexcellentshoppracticesforsupervisorsandemployeestofollowinordertopromoteasafeworkingenvironmentwherehandandportablepowertoolsareused:•Establishregulartoolinspectionproceduresandprovidegoodrepairfacilitiestoensurethattoolswillbemaintainedinsafecondition.•Establishaprocedureforcontroloftoolssuchasacheck-outsystemattoolcribs.•Provideproperstoragefacilitiesinthetoolroomandonthejob.•Theemployerisresponsibleforthesafeconditionoftoolsandequipmentusedbyemployees,buttheemployeeshavetheresponsibilityforproperlyusingandmaintainingtools.**Failuretoobservesafeworkpracticeswhenusinghandandportablepowertoolsaccountsformosthandandpowertoolaccidents.Eachsupervisoristomakeacompletecheckofhis/heroperationstodeterminetheneedforspecialtoolsthatwilldotheworkmoresafelythanordinarytools.ThiscanbecompletedbydevelopingaJobSafetyAnalysiswhichcanbeusedtoidentifythehazardsassociatedwiththejobandtheappropriatetoolsthatshouldbeused.Specialtoolsshouldbekeptreadilyavailableinacentralizedtoolroomifpossible.Thetoolroomattendantorcraftsupervisorshouldbequalifiedthroughtrainingandexperiencetopassjudgmentontheconditionoftoolsforfurtheruse.Dullordamagedtoolsshallnotbereturnedtostock.Employeesshallnotcontinueuseofdamagedtoolsduringajobifitisnoticedduringthejobthatthetoolisdamaged.Propermaintenanceand...
