Hand Tool Safety: The Six Steps

Hand tools are so familiar that we stop seeing the hazards. But hand tool injuries account for a significant share of recordable incidents every year: mostly cuts, crush injuries, and eye injuries that were entirely preventable.

Six steps cover most of the risk:

• Check your tools regularly for wear and damage. A cracked handle, a mushroomed chisel head, a worn screwdriver tip — these are the failures that cause injuries.
• Use the correct tool for the job. Pliers are not a wrench. A screwdriver is not a chisel. The shortcut almost always costs more than the trip to get the right tool.
• Keep your tools clean and in good condition. Grease on a hammer handle, sawdust packed into a power tool vent — small things, real consequences.
• Use appropriate personal protective equipment. Gloves and safety glasses are the minimum for most tasks; some require hearing or face protection.
• Keep hands clear of moving parts. Sounds obvious. The injuries say it isn't.
• Store tools properly. A tool left on a walkway, a beam, or balanced on a ledge becomes a trip hazard or a dropped object.