List of 4 fundamental General Safety rules for Hand-held Power Machines

General Safety rules for Hand-held Power Machines

The safety rules guiding all the use of hand power tools/machines such as grinders and drilling machine tools. Why it is important to learn about safety in everything we do, is just minimize accidents, prolong the lifespan of our working tools, and reduce wastage of materials/resources.

List of 4 fundamental General Safety rules for Hand-held Power Machines

The general safety rules and warnings regarding the hand-held power tools can be classified into four and they are:

1. Work area safety
2. Personal safety
3. Electrical safety
4. Power tool use & care

The detailed explanation of the above four are discussed and itemized below:

1. Work area safety: this is a safety rule/warning that has to do with the environment or surroundings that the job is being carried out. The rule has to do with the following:
   • Good housekeeping before and after every work is a good way of minimizing accidents.
   • Atmosphere filled with flammable gas or liquid is not safe to operate hand power tools since the activities do produce sparks from time to time especially cutting and grinding works of the power tools.
   • Ensure the atmosphere is not dusty before operating the machine tool to avoid blurred vision that may lead to mistakes and accident.
   • It is very important to place a notice on outsiders, children, and bystanders to keep off, showing that machine tool operation is taking place where you are doing the work.
2. Personal safety rule: this is the rule that will guild the operator in a way of avoiding an accident while using the power tools and they can be highlighted as below:
   1. Using common sense and being alert are keywords for personal safety when operating power tools like grinders, etc.
   2. Do not operate a power machine tool when you are tired or under the influence of any drug, alcohol or in an unstable health condition.
   3. A moment of inattention while operating power tools may result in serious personal injury.
   4. Use PPE (Personal protective equipment) always when working with power tools, put on eyes goggle, dust mask, non-skid safety shoes, hard hat, and hearing protection (ear plug or ear muff) and all of them should be in their appropriate conditions.
   5. Ensure the power switch of the machine tool is off before plugging it into an electric socket to avoid unintentional starting which can cause an accident.
   6. After using any wrench or adjusting key on the power tool, ensure it has been removed before turning the power on. A wrench or key left attached to a rotating part of the power tools may fly out and cause injury to the operator.
   7. Proper balance and footing are necessary when operating a power tool. Do not overreach from your recommended position when operating the machine tool so that you can have complete control of the tool in the case of skipping off from the workpiece.
   8. Do not wear loose clothe, jewelry, or keep long hairs while operating the power tools.
   9. If dust expeller or extractor is installed in the working environment, ensure it is positioned for maximum use to reduce the hazards associated with dust to your health.
3. Electrical safety warning: The electrical safety warnings are the required procedure to be used in handling the electric power supply to avoid an accident while working with power tools. The warnings include:
   1. The power tool plug must match the outlet, do not modify the plug in any way. Unmodified plugs and matching outlets will reduce the risk of electric shock.
   2. Do not use any adapter plugs with earthed power tools.
   3. Avoid body contact with earthed or grounded surfaces, such as pipes, radiators, ranges, and refrigerators. There is an increased risk of electric shock if your body is earthed or grounded.
   4. Do not expose the power tool to rain or wet conditions. Water that enters into the power tool can bridge power voltage and electric shock.
   5. Do not use the power tool cord for carrying, pulling or tying of objects, it can cause the cord to cut inside which will result in electrical problems.
   6. Keep the cord away from heat, oil, sharp edges and moving parts of any machine because exposed/ damaged part the cord’s insulator is a source of electric shock.
   7. When using the power tool for outdoors, use a suitable extension cord to reduce the risk of electric shock.
   8. Use a residual current device (RCD) protected supply if there is a condition that you must use the power tool in a damp location.
4. Power tool use & care: These are the rules guiding the use, servicing and caring of the power tools to help in prolonging its lifespan in service. There are many of such rules which differ from machine to machine, but when it comes to power tool machines, here are some of them:
   1. It is recommended to use the correct size of power for any work you want to do, by gauging the capacity and nature of the work. Using small power tool for work it can hardly handle will reduce its lifespan and will perform poorly on the work.
   2. Ensure any power tool you want to use has its power ON/OFF switch working properly because it will be dangerous to operate a machine you cannot control.
   3. Before making any adjustment, change of disc, or repair ensure that the plug has been removed from the power socket. Keep power tools out from the reach of children and inexperienced personnel during and after its use. In that case, its storage must be secured and warning tape may be used to indicate danger.
   4. The inspection must be carried out regularly on every power tool before and after using it. To `ensure alignment, accurate parts positions and tighten loosed screws.
   5. Serious technical signs from the power tool must not be handled by a novice rather should be sent to an expert for repair.
   6. Cleaning the power tool is necessary and keeping its cutting parts sharp and free from rust or cracks.
   7. The right cutting, grinding, or brushing discs must be used in accordance with the machine size and specifications.

These and more are the safety rules and warnings guiding the use of hand-powered machine tools such as grinders, speed cutters, hand power brushes, and hand power sand dusters, etc.