Tool safety

HTI compiles list of most common hand tool mistakes

As part of its observance of National Hand Tool Safety Month in May, the Hand Tools Institute asked its members to list the most common mistakes people make when using these tools. The answers may or may not surprise you.

The top six responses from HTI members were:

1) Failure to wear safety goggles or safety glasses with side shields when using hand tools. The U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission considers eye injuries the most traumatic of the many thousands of hand tool accidents reported each year.

2) Using the wrong tool for the job. This includes such mistakes as using a tack hammer for driving a spike or a hand maul to drive a finishing nail.

3) Right tool, improper use. Even the best-made tool will botch a job when used improperly. Striking a nail with a hammer cheek instead of its face can cause a nailing problem or an accident. Handling a chisel incorrectly — such as pushing a chisel with one hand while the other holds the work in front of the cutting edge — can cause severe injury. The solution? Clamp the work in a vise so your hands are free to handle the tool.

4) Improper tool maintenance. A worn screwdriver tip can lead to a gashed hand. Similarly, a loose or damaged handle can turn a hammer head into a deadly flying object.

5) Overworking a tool’s capabilities. The most common error probably is to use a cheater bar to increase the leverage of a wrench. This can result in serious injury.

6) Striking one tool with another. Certain tools are made to strike other specific tools or materials. Use only proper striking tools for these jobs. Don’t use a wrench to drive a nail and don’t use one hammer to strike another.

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