Getting a Grip on Safe Use of Power Tool

Whenever you use a power tool, make safety your main concern.

Using a power tool safely involves remaining alert, knowing how your tool will behave when operated and, more than anything else, using common sense.

Here are some basic safety tips that apply when you work with any power tool, whether it’s large or small, stationary or portable:

Proper Use

* Read the directions in the owner’s manual for the tool. Make sure that you understand them and follow them exactly.

* Use a power tool only for jobs for which it was designed.

* Disconnect a power tool when you’re not using it or when making an adjustment, cleaning it or changing blades, bits or attachments. Never leave a power tool running unattended.

* Keep children and pets away from your power tools at all times. Make sure that they can’t disturb you when you are working. Lock up the tool when you put it away, or store it in a high spot out of reach.

More Basics

* Listen to the sound of the tool’s motor as you work. If a tool makes an unfamiliar noise or vibration, turn it off and unplug it. Don’t force a tool’s motor to overheat.

* When working with a power tool--even a small portable model--use only a heavy-duty, grounded (three-prong) extension cord that is 14-gauge or larger. Connect a tool with a three-prong plug to a grounded, three-hole outlet, preferably one with a ground-fault interrupter (GFI).

* Never carry a power tool by its cord. Don’t pull on the cord to unplug the tool. Pull the plug itself; otherwise, you may break the wires inside the power cord.

* On larger tools, check nuts, bolts and screws regularly and tighten them if necessary.

* As you work, keep extra cord out of the way. Throw the slack over your shoulder or hook it on a long spring screwed into the ceiling over your workbench.

Where to Work

* Never operate a tool in a dark, damp or fume-filled setting. Keep your workplace well lighted and well ventilated.

* Clean away sawdust and clutter regularly. Sawdust accumulation is particularly dangerous because it can cause a tool to slip.

* Keep a fire extinguisher and first-aid kit in plain sight. Tell someone when you are working and never work where you cannot be heard if you call for help.

Operator Tips

* Dress safely. Don’t wear jewelry or loose clothing. Roll your sleeves above the elbows. Tie long hair securely. Wear safety goggles, earplugs that reduce--but don’t eliminate--sound, and a dust mask if necessary.

* Use clamps as much as possible so both hands are free.

Be Prepared

* Don’t operate a power tool if you are out of sorts, tired, distracted, ill or taking a medication that could affect your alertness or judgment.

* Think before you act. Assemble all necessary tools and materials beforehand. Mentally rehearse a job before starting, looking for potentially dangerous situations as well as the most efficient procedure. Know the consequences of every move you make. This may slow you down at first, but after a while knowing what’s safe--and what’s not--will become second nature.

* Don’t talk to anyone while operating a power tool. Focus on what you’re doing at the moment, not on the next step.

Take Your Time

* Take your time. Shortcuts are major causes of workshop accidents.

* Maintain your balance. Wear nonskid footwear and make sure your footing is secure. Grip tools firmly. Don’t reach too far with a tool or work with it over your head.