Whether you are employed as a professional handyman, or you are the chosen one to fix things around the office, it is important to adhere to workplace safety to protect yourself and those around you. Just because using hand tools is second nature to someone who is constantly building on construction sites or working with pipes and valves, doesn't mean common safety practices should be ignored.
You may not realize it, but anything can cause injury in an industrial workplace. Of course there are the obvious dangers like saws, chainsaws, an axe, or crowbar. But what about the things you think are harmless like a drill, wrench, knife or even a hammer. If you are not careful about who or what is in your surrounding area and are not focused on the task at hand, you can be seriously injured due to lack of workplace safety. Here are a few guidelines from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to keep your workplace in pristine condition to avoid any possible injuries.
Keep Your Workplace Organized
If you know where everything is, you are less likely to step on a nail or knock over a table saw. Of course when everything has it’s own designated area, you will be able to work faster, but it will also protect you from any unexpected events.
Keep Your Tools Clean and Up-To-Date
Having outdated machinery or dull blades can cause serious injury to users. There are cases recorded within the handyman industry of small power tools that had gas leaks, which caused carbon monoxide poisoning. If there is a loose wooden handle on a hammer, the tool could fly off and hit the user or another employee.
Use The Right Tool for the Job
It can be frustrating to have to leave your station to find a tool which you know will be hard to find, but it’s even worse to use an improper tool and injure yourself. A chisel is not a screwdriver and can fly off if used incorrectly, possibly striking another employee. In the same way, using a dulled knife or an improper blade can cause an unnecessary amount of force by the user and cause harm.
Where Proper Safety Equipment
Safety equipment is made specifically to protect the user from foreseeable damages and injuries. Things like safety goggles, working gloves and closed toed shoes are mandatory when working with power tools or around heavy equipment to protect you. Using a table saw may blow up dust which could be inhaled or launched into your eye, permanently obstructing your vision.
“Better safe than sorry!” is the best motto a handyman can live by. Workplace safety can prevent injuries which be very complicated and take months to recover from physical, emotional and financial damage. If you or someone you know was recently injured by using a hand tool in the workplace, contact Colley & Colley law firm in Tyler, Texas for a free consultation.
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