Tool safety checklist

Make sure your tools are at their best by instituting a checklist. Here are two examples of checklists, one for hand tools and one for portable power tools. Your nursery's workplace safety officer, or whoever is in charge of developing a safety policy can tweak this formula to match your workplace's specific tool concerns.

Hand Tools and Equipment

• Are all tools and equipment (both company and employee owned) used by employees at their workplace in good condition?
• Are hand tools such as chisels and punches, which develop mushroomed heads during use, reconditioned or replaced as necessary?
• Are broken or fractured handles on hammers, axes and similar equipment replaced promptly?
• Are worn or bent wrenches replaced regularly?
• Are appropriate handles used on files and similar tools?
• Are employees made aware of the hazards caused by faulty or improperly used hand tools?
• Are appropriate safety glasses, face shields, etc. used while using hand tools or equipment which might produce flying materials or be subject to breakage?
• Are jacks checked periodically to ensure they are in good operating condition?
• Are tool handles wedged tightly in the head of all tools?
• Are tool cutting edges kept sharp so the tool will move smoothly without binding or skipping?
• Are tools stored in dry, secure locations where they won't be tampered with?
• Is eye and face protection used when driving hardened or tempered spuds or nails?

Portable (Power Operated) Tools and Equipment

• Are grinders, saws and similar equipment provided with appropriate safety guards?
• Are power tools used with the correct shield, guard, or attachment, recommended by the manufacturer?
• Are portable circular saws equipped with guards above and below the base shoe? Are circular saw guards checked to assure they are not wedged up, thus leaving the lower portion of the blade unguarded?
• Are rotating or moving parts of equipment guarded to prevent physical contact?
• Are all cord-connected, electrically operated tools and equipment effectively grounded or of the approved double insulated type?
• Are effective guards in place over belts, pulleys, chains, sprockets, on equipment such as concrete mixers, and air compressors?
• Are portable fans provided with full guards or screens having openings ½ inch or less?
• Is hoisting equipment available and used for lifting heavy objects, and are hoist ratings and characteristics appropriate for the task?
• Are ground-fault circuit interrupters provided on all temporary electrical 15 and 20 ampere circuits, used during periods of construction?
• Are pneumatic and hydraulic hoses on power operated tools checked regularly for deterioration or damage?

Source: www.nonprofitrisk.org