WCF SAFETY TOPIC HAND TOOL SAFETY

Hand Tool Correct Usage Abuse/Misuse Nail Hammers Nail hammers are intended for driving Never strike one hammer with or and pulling common, unhardened against another hammer or a hatchet. nails only, and for ripping apart Never strike nail pullers, steel chisels, wooden structures. They may be or other hardened objects with a nail used to strike nail sets with the center hammer because the face may chip, of the striking face. possibly resulting in an eye or other serious injury. Ball Pein Hammers Ball pein hammers of the proper size Strike squarely and avoid glancing are designed for striking chisels and blows that may cause the edge of punches, and for riveting, shaping the face to chip, possibly resulting in and straightening unhardened metal. an eye or other serious injury. Never strike with or against the side, or When striking a tool (chisel or cheek, of any hammer. punch), the strike face of the hammer should have a diameter at least 3/8 inch larger than the strike face of the tool. Riveting and Setting Hammers The riveting hammer is designed for Never use these special-purpose driving and spreading rivets on sheet hammers for general-purpose work. metal work. The setting hammer is The square, sharp edges of the designed for forming sharp corners, setting hammer make it vulnerable closing and peining seams and lock to chipping if improperly used. Never edges, and for use by glaziers for strike against other steel tools. inserting glazier points. Scaling or Chipping Hammers Scaling or chipping hammers are Never use these special-purpose popular in iron foundaries and hammers for any but the purposes welding shops. They are designed for for which they are designed. Striking chipping welds, scale, rust and paint concrete or hardened steel objects from unhardened metal. may cause the blades to chip, possibly resulting in an eye or other serious injury. Bricklayers’ Hammers Bricklayers’ hammers are designed Never use a brick hammer to strike for setting and cutting (splitting) other steel tools of any type, or to bricks, masonry tile and concrete drive hardened nails. The striking blocks, and for chipping mortar from face or blade may chip, possibly bricks. resulting in an eye or other serious injury.

1 Hand Tool Correct Usage Abuse/Misuse Soft Face and Non-Ferrous Soft face hammers are intended for Never use these tools to drive nails Hammers and Mallets striking blows where steel hammers or screws or to strike sharp metal would mar or damage the surface objects. Never use a hammer or of the work. Wooden mallets are mallet with a loose or damaged properly used for striking wood and handle. plastic-handled chisels, gouges, wood pins and small stakes, and to form or shape sheet metal. Rubber and plastic hammers are used for setting stone. Magnetic Hammers Magnetic hammers are light-duty, Never use these hammers for used for holding and driving only driving anything other than tacks and tacks. The tack hammer has a long upholstery nails. Never strike them thin claw for pulling tacks in corners. with or against other steel. The heads of the other patterns are designed for starting and driving tacks only - magnetic end for starting, the opposite end for driving. Blacksmiths’ or Engineers’ Sledges are designed for general Never use a sledge to strike a Hammers and Sledges, Double sledging operations in striking wood, hammer, sledge or maul. Never use Face metal, concrete or stone. Common a sledge with a loose or damaged uses are drifting heavy timbers and handle. striking spikes, cold chisels, rock, drills and hardened. Woodsplitting’ Mauls Mauls are designed for splitting Never use this tool in striking wood. Also they are used in concrete. Never drive one maul, conjunction with wood splitting sledge or other striking tool. Never wedges by first making a notch with use a maul with a loose or damaged the splitting edge and then driving the handle. wedge with the maul’s striking face. Axes and Hatchets The double bit axe is usually used The cutting edges of axes and to fell, trim or prune trees and to hatchets are designed for cutting split and cut wood. It is also used wood and equally soft materials. for notching and shaping logs They should never be struck against and timbers. The single bit axe, in metal, stone or concrete. The striking addition to the above uses, is used faces of hatchets are properly to drive wood stakes with the striking hardened for driving common nails face. but should never be used to strike chisels, punches, rock drills or other Hatchets are used for cutting, hardened metal tools, or for striking splitting, trimming and hewing and stone or concrete. Never use an axe driving unhardened nails and stakes as a wedge or a maul. Never strike with the striking face. with the sides. Cold Chisels Cold chisels have a cutting edge Never use cold chisels for cutting at one end for cutting, shaping and or splitting stone or concrete. Never removing metal softer than the cutting use a dull chisel or one with a edge itself such as cast iron, wrought mushroomed head. Never use a iron, steel, bronze, copper, etc. and a blacksmiths’ cold chisel with a loose strike face on the opposite end. or damaged handle.

2 Hand Tool Correct Usage Abuse/Misuse Hot Chisels Hot chisels are designed for cutting Never use hot chisels for cutting cold hot steel. metal, stone or concrete. Never use a dull chisel or one with a mushroomed head. Never use a chisel with a loose or damaged handle. Blacksmiths’ Punches Blacksmiths’ round punches are Never use a punch with a designed for drifting holes, aligning mushroomed struck face or a and driving pins. Blacksmiths’ chipped or deformed point. Never backing out punches are designed for use a punch with a loose or damaged backing out bolts, rivets and pins. handle. All Steel Wood and Ripping All-steel wood and ripping chisels Never use an all-steel chisel with a Chisels are heavy-duty wood cutting tools mushroomed strike face or a chipped designed for rough work. or dull cutting edge. Never use on metal. Hand Punches Punches are designed to mark metal Never use a punch with a and other material softer than the mushroomed struck face or with a point end, drive and remove pin and dull, chipped or deformed point. rivets, and align holes in different sections of material.

Resources

WCF Safety Department 801-288-8103 800-446-2667 ext. 8103

NOTICE: This guide may make reference to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations; however the guide is not legal advice as to compliance with OSHA or other safety laws, codes or regulations. Compliance with OSHA and other safety laws codes or regulations, and maintaining a safe work environment for your employees remains your responsibility. WCF does not undertake to perform the duty of any person to provide for the health or safety of your employees. WCF does not warrant that your workplace is safe or healthful, or that it complies with any laws, regulations, codes or standards.

3