Hand and power tools are a common part of our everyday lives and are present in nearly every industry. However, these simple tools can be hazardous and have the potential for causing severe injuries when used or maintained improperly.

An employer is responsible for providing tools that are operational and in safe working order to be used by all employees, but as employees we have the responsibility for properly using and maintaining the tools that we are provided.

This week’s topic is going to be on Tool Safety. Both hand tools, power tools and tools we use in the office are important to our safe and successful completion of the support that we provide to our Team’s and Clients.

Let’s Get Focused

Have you ever told someone to “Be Safe!” What does that mean?

The dictionary defines safety as a noun and as a verb. When considered as a noun it is, “The condition of being safe from undergoing or causing hurt, injury or loss.”

When defined as a verb, “to protect against failure, breakage or accident”. To arrive at the condition of being safe does not happen without first implementing the verb, “to protect against”. To arrive at a safe condition requires action.

So what does this English lesson have to do with “Be Safe”? A personal example….My wife and I love to ride our motorcycles and when riding alone often admonish each other to, “Be safe out there.” I asked her one day, “What do you mean by that?” (Being married to a safety professional can be exhausting). After some thought, she commented that I should focus on other drivers as motorcycles can be invisible. Perfect! An action! Now, our conversations about riding safe are directed at actions such as, “Don’t follow too close, because you can’t react to road debris.”

My challenge to you is this, regardless if you are at work in a pre-job briefing or at home, when asked to “Be Safe!”… consider how you will arrive at the “condition” of being safe. Make safety a verb.

Steve DavisSafety and HUP Manager

Diversity Quote

“Honest difference of views and honest debate are not disunity. They are the vital process of policy among free men.”

Herbert Hoover

Did you know that hand tools are involved in a large majority of injuries in the workplace? Considering both compensated and non-compensated injuries the percentage of involvement is between 6% and 14%. Amazingly enough the higher of the two is attributed to non-compensated injuries.

In addition to this, the average cost of a hand tool injury is approximately $1,250 per incident. Of course this is only the direct cost—when you start to add in indirect costs like a loss in production or time at work for an employee this amount begins to climb dramatically.

The causes of hand tool injuries can often be traced to some type of improper use or inadequate maintenance of the hand tool.

What that tells me is that a great deal of responsibility for hand tools rests with each of us that find ourselves using the tools. If we have the control, then we can control the statistics by using properly maintained tools in the way they were designed to be used. If you find yourself in a situation where you not sure how to use a tool or if it has been properly maintained then stop and get answers to your questions before moving on with your work.

If you really think about it, a hand tool is actually an extension of our hands. They give us the ability to perform work that we would not typically be able to do without them or by just using our hands such as tighten bolts to specific torque specifications, cut paper, or drive a nail into a board.

When we misuse hand tools, the possibility or injuring ourselves or other co-workers working around us increases considerably. Not only could it create a hazard for others but it could potentially damage the tool or even cause the tool to fail if being used correctly by someone else.

If you use a screwdriver as a chisel or a pry bar, don’t expect it to be in good shape when you actually need to drive a screw; if you use a socket wrench to beat on something like a hammer, don’t be surprised when it doesn’t engage the internal gears to tighten a bolt.

Use the right tool for the work you are performing; if your work requires more than one type of tool that is similar then take both of them with you to the work site. And just like on Monday, if you are unsure about what the right tool is then stop and get answers or seek assistance before you decide to just improvise and use whatever is within arms reach at the time.

Most power tools are not that complicated to operate—the situation doesn’t become complicated until we try to use them incorrectly or for something other than their intended purpose or if they are not in good working order.

We all have to follow basic safety practices when using power tools, and be sure we keep them in the proper operating condition.

Owners Manual—what Owners Manual? I don’t need no manual or instructions, I know what I am doing. If you have had this thought or used this saying in the past, it’s best you just let it go. Read the Owners Manual and instructions that come with power tools—get educated rather than evaluated by a nurse or doctor because of an injury.

Know your equipment and understand it’s limitations. Use them correctly and you will find that they can help us complete work safely. There is no need for manual work when we have the right power tools for the job.

While power tools can make a project easier, faster, and more sometimes more enjoyable, they can also add complexity, additional hazards and the cause of serious injuries.

Safety with power tools is essential for all of us and needs to be considered before even turning a tool on. Some simple precautions to follow:

• Never carry a tool by it’s power cord• When not in use, unplug or disconnect it• Keep fingers and other items away from rotating components and blades—out of the “Line

of Fire”• Never disconnect a power tool by pulling on the cord—pull the plug at the outlet• Make sure you are qualified to use the equipment

Inspect your tools regularly:

• Check them for exposed wires• Check for damaged plugs and loose plug pins• Check for nicked or cut cords; for nicks you can use electrical tape, but if the cut is deep, the

cord will need to be replaced.• Be sure to repair or replace all damaged tools

Summary: Well designed tools are a pleasure to use and help you do your job more safely. Think about tool safety each every time you begin a job, and you’ll perform your job safely and effectively. Those are your hands that are being extended by the pliers or the screwdriver.

Rule Number One Covers it All; Know the Tool. If you follow this one piece of advice, it can keep you out of trouble almost every time.

Take Time to be Safe

When your Head Is NOT in the Game, you are more susceptible to on of the Top Ten Human Performance Error Traps:

• Time Pressure—both self imposed and perceived• Distractive Environment• High Workload• First Time Evolution• First Working day after Days Off• One-Half Hour after Wake-up or a Meal• Vague or Incorrect Guidance• Over Confidence• Imprecise Communications• Work Stress

Stay Focused on the task at hand and Keep Your Head in the Game!

Have you ever walked away from a situation and thought, “Wish I had that one back?”

That is your emotions over riding your values. Ever responded to an email or phone call with your emotions, instead of your intellect, and not achieved the desired result?

Our emotions are powerful and can trigger impulsive actions. If we predict, and we can, when our emotions will come into play we stand a chance of arriving at a different result by remaining in and responding from our intellectual center.

Practice remaining in your intellectual center today on your drive home! If we will ever master this, we must practice predicting to prevent.

Equipment Accident Information

Location: Roxboro Fossil PlantDate: 7/11/2013

Details: At approximately 0750, a BNI employee operating a Front-End Loader equipped with a fork attachment was driving along a plant roadway. While driving down a slight down-grade and attempting to cross a small bridge, the Loader hit a dip in the road which tilted the forks downward to the point that they scrapped the roadway making contact with a strip of angle iron that goes around the concrete covers providing access to piping below the bridge. The left fork made the primary contact and the event resulted in damage to the fork (as seen in the photos below).

Following an initial investigation of the event, it was determined that the primary cause of the event was that the employee failed to raise the forks up to a safe height prior to operating the Loader.

• Additional Contributing Factors:• Situational Awareness• Hazard Recognition• Over Confidence