General Safe Work Practices
Safe Practices: Powder-Actuated Tools
Powder-actuated tools operate like a loaded gun and must be treated with extreme caution. In fact, they are so dangerous that they must be operated only by specially trained employees
Use a Powder Actuated Nail Gun
When performing overhead use the following best practices:
- Test powder-actuated tools daily before use.
- Ensure all defects discovered before or during use are corrected.
- Do not load powder-actuated tools until immediately before use.
- Do not leave loaded tools unattended.
- Ensure workers trained and, when required, licensed to operate powder-actuated tools.
Overhead Work
When performing overhead work on construction sites use the following best practices:
- Secure all tools and materials
- Use guardrails, toeboards, screens, debris nets
- Barricade the area and post signs
- Store materials more than 6 feet away from hoistways/floor openings
- Store materials more than 10 feet away from exterior walls
Airborne Objects
When pushing or pulling objects that may become airborne use the following best practices:
Suspended Loads
- Stack and secure materials to prevent sliding, falling or collapse
- Keep work areas clear
- Secure material against wind gusts
You can review OSHA's Hand and Power Tools Guide for more information on hand and power tool safety.
Description of the accident. A worker was cutting a 6-inch steel water pipe with a gas-powered abrasive wheel when the saw kicked back and struck the worker’s face shield, resulting in a laceration and two fractures of the nose.
What would you recommend?
Below is a list of actions that could be taken to ensure an accident like this does not occur.
- Wear safety glasses and face shields when working with these tools.
- Make sure workers using powder-actuated tools have been trained. If not, they are a risk to everyone working nearby.
- Never place hand or fingers over the front muzzle end of a powder-actuated tool and always hold the tool perpendicular to the work, ensuring the spall guard is in place.
- Inspect tools to ensure protective guards are in place and in good condition.
- Perform ring tests of grinding wheels to determine if they are intact.
- Keep the cord behind the cut to prevent cutting the cord.
- Never stand in line with the unprotected part of a grinding wheel, stand to the side and out of the plane of rotation during start-up. Always wear safety glasses and full-face shields.
- Check electric tools for defects, such as missing grounding pins and cracked cases, before using.
- Always use a GFCI.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
2-5. Be sure materials stored in buildings under construction are placed _____ away from hoistways and floor openings.
You forgot to answer the question!