Using tools safely
Tools must be:
- kept in good working order
- properly sharpened if they are required to cut
- used only for the purpose for which they were designed
- stored safely.
For operator safety:
- use a dust mask when sanding, cutting or creating any dust
- use eye protection with power-cutting tools and hand tools where flying chips are a risk
- wear good quality ear muffs
- use cordless tools outside where possible, but if you need to use a tool with a cable, connect it to an isolating transformer or residual current device (RCD)
- put loose materials in a vice if you need to work on them with a power tool – do not put the power tool in the vice and pull the material over it