The tools which are externally powered apart from the manual labour involved are called power tools. Most of these tools deal with cutting, shaping and handling of hard or heavy materials, and thus are built to be sturdy and highly powerful. This in return makes the handler prone to dangers. To be precise, an average of 9,00,000 people suffer injuries due to malfunction or mishandling power tools each year.
Some of the most dangerous power tools include chain & table saws, chop saws, angel grinders, and even nail guns. If not used with utmost care, such tools can lead to conditions which may even prove fatal for the user. These hazards include electric shocks, burns, deep cuts and in the worst case, amputation of fingers or limbs.
Saws
The different kinds of saws spin at a speed of up to 3500 rotations per minute, which is speed enough to create a disaster within moments of carelessness. According to studies, roughly 300 injuries are reported each day which involve usage of saws. The other problem with saws is that they have broad blades, thus making them difficult to handle.
Power Drills
These drills rotate at a great speed, and can pierce through thick materials within seconds. Thus, it goes without saying, that if not used carefully, they can do terrible damage to one’s body. Each year, approximately 5,800 injuries are reported, caused solely by power drills. The causes of injuries mostly include inattention or inexperience of the user. Apart from this, unexpected interruption during usage or faulty manufacture can also lead to mishaps. As absurd as it may seem, power drills have also lead to dreadful deaths of people over the years. Hence, it is wise only to be meticulously careful while operating these tools.
Nail Guns
Nail guns are built to punch through floorings and cement within moments, thus one can imagine the tremendous amount of force which is used to fire them. The highest number of injuries recorded was a surprising 42,000 in the year of 2005. Nail injuries are usually puncture wounds to hands or fingers, and occasionally lead to more serious accidents.
Safety Tips
Several saws come with safety systems which manage to stop the blades from spinning within milliseconds of human contact. Thus, it becomes crucial to never turn of the safety system. Clamp tools should be used to tackle tools whenever possible. It is also vital to be completely attentive to the tools while working with them, and not take the work lightly.
Moreover, one should wear eye, ear and head protection at all times while working with saws. Cut resistant chain-saw chaps should also be worn along with gloves and boots. While working on chopping of wood, it is advised to use splitters, which is used to steady the wood and guide it once it passes through the saw blade, thus keeping the user safe from the discarded flying chunks. Pneumatic tools should be fitted with oil mist filters.
Minute care should be taken in other matters as well. For example, one must avoid carrying the tool by its cord. It is strongly recommended to follow the instructions mentioned in the manual of the tool in order to avoid mishaps. Accidental starting should be avoided. Most importantly, the tools should be maintained on a regular basis in order to avoid malfunctions.