How Can We Ensure Hammer Safety and Prevent Accidents in Our Plant?

Dear All,

While a very basic tool, hammers can cause serious injury when not used properly. In our plant, we were previously using hammers with a steel handle. However, as this caused more vibration and could lead to health problems, we have now transitioned to using hammers with a wooden handle. The type of hammers we are currently using is the ball-peen hammer, also known as a blacksmith's, engineer's, or machinist's hammer. These are mainly used for mechanical fabrication and erection activities.

Recently, a near miss occurred in our plant where, while hammering, the head of the hammer flew off, leaving only the wooden handle in the worker's hand. Consequently, there is now hesitation among the workers to use hammers with wooden handles. This near miss prompted me to initiate this discussion.

Information Needed on Safe Use of Hammers

Could anyone provide me with the following information regarding the safe use of hammers:

1. Which type of handle should we recommend for purchase and use - wooden, steel, or fiberglass?

2. If a wooden handle is deemed best for use, which type of wood should be preferred, and what is the recommended duration for replacing the handle?

3. What should be the material of construction for the hammer head to reduce vibration and prevent health issues for the workers?

4. To prevent a recurrence of the above-mentioned near miss, what actions should be taken?

If anyone has a presentation on the safe use of hammers, please share it. I believe this is an important topic for discussion in this forum, and I hope to receive solutions to my doubts and queries here.

Thanks in advance.

Fiberglass Handles vs. Wood Handles: Advantages and Disadvantages

Both have advantages and disadvantages.

First, there are good fiberglass handles and bad ones. The good ones have the same flex and shock reduction as a wood handle. The bad ones are about as effective as a welded-on steel pipe handle. They are worthless and can cause various joint problems. My experience is that there are more bad ones than good, especially in cheaper lines. I have had both in carpenter's hammers bought from the same supplier at roughly the same price.

Second, the advantages of the fiberglass handle are that they are generally more durable than wood, they do not shrink and get loose, and they do not crack. They can be left out in the weather and will not rot or get soaked, then loosen. They are great tools for tossing in the back of an open-bed truck without worrying about them.

Third, the disadvantages of the fiberglass handle are that many are poorly designed as noted (too heavy), they cannot be modified to your personal grip, they are hard to replace, and generally not available as replacements.

Many smiths go to great lengths to carve their handles to their personal grip. This does two things: it makes the handles springier and reduces shock, as well as giving the smith a familiar grip. This is impossible with a fiberglass handle. Many smiths also cut handles to a shorter length than standard. This too is impractical with a fiberglass hammer as it exposes the fibers at the end of the handle and may cause the rubber grip to fail.

Both are subject to nicking of the handle shank on nails or overhangs. Both can be repaired if the nick is not severe, but fiberglass handles are less likely to fail due to a nicked shank. I have only nicked a couple of hammers in my life, but almost all my hammers are taped up from others nicking them. People will grab any hammer and try to drive a nail, often nicking the handle when they miss.

To repair shallow nicks, use glue (wood glue on wood, epoxy on fiberglass) to bind the splinters, then sand to remove loose rough bits. I then wrap the damaged area with electrical tape to reinforce and cover the rough spot, as well as protect from further nicking.

The choice is yours. Daily tool inspection helps to avoid such kinds of accidents in our workplace.

Hope it helps.

Safety Precautions for Using Hand Hammers

Hand hammers are among the top causes of injury in the construction industry. Most injuries caused by using hand hammers are broken or badly bruised fingers or thumbs. Other injuries, especially to the eyes, are caused by chips of metal flying off, damaged hammer faces, or burred punch and chisel heads.

It will be safe if you choose a hammer with a striking face diameter 25mm wider than the face of the tool being struck. Never use a hammer to strike another hammer; hardened steel on both can shatter. Ensure the correct weight hammer is used for the job. Avoid striking hardened metal objects or tools, which may chip or shatter, sending particles flying at high speed.

Always use appropriate personal protective equipment. Operators and standby personnel must wear goggles, safety glasses, or face shields. Metal fragments can injure the eyes of others working nearby if the safety glasses do not have adequate side protection. Safety boots will protect the feet against dropped metal and tools.

Constant supervision is to be provided for personnel new to handling hammers. Don’t underestimate the danger of hammers. Regularly check the hand hammers to ensure the head is firmly fixed to the handle and the wedge is tight. Ensure the striking faces of the head are smooth and free from oil. Ensure striking faces are free from chips or burrs. Ensure that the handles are free of sharp edges. Wooden handles are varnished or waxed to give a smooth, non-slip finish. Avoid painting handles, as this may obscure defects. All chipped, scored, or damaged hammer heads must be thrown out. Replace cracked, chipped, or loose handles. Never weld metal handles to hammer heads. Never use metal handles; they are too rigid and can jar and injure your hands.

I have attached a couple of safety signs which may be useful.

Thanks,

Sam

Dear Mr. Dipil, I apologize for the delayed response to your query. I acknowledge your previous inquiry regarding priorities in the assessment of victims in First Aid. I will provide a detailed explanation shortly. In the meantime, I have attached a PDF file specifically prepared for you. Due to data constraints, I was unable to include many pictures that could have been helpful. I recommend ensuring that tools are in good condition as this is a technical domain. It is important that the hammers used by employees have cushioned handles and are of appropriate diameter. The cushioning will help prevent jerks during application, as these jerks and vibrations are major causes of Work-related Musculoskeletal Injuries or WMSDs.

Please do not hesitate to reach out for further assistance.

Regards, Ravi Singh

Director - Elite Plus Training and Consultancy Solutions, HealthFirst Medicorp

[Phone Number Removed For Privacy Reasons]

Advanced and Basic Life Support Training | First Aid Courses | India

Dear Dipil, I came across a website that provides good information on hammer safety. Personally, I stopped using hammers with wooden handles and metal heads. I found that the wood always breaks at the connection with the metal head, requiring wedges to ensure the head does not come off. Therefore, I opted for steel handles firmly connected to the head.

Dear Professionals,

Please pay attention to what I am writing here. It is almost as certain as what Murphy's Law states: if the possibility of a mishap exists, it is bound to take place. Let us try to eliminate the word "possibility." We often talk extensively about our work, our organization, and so much more, using countless complex words that are hard to comprehend. I consider this mere lip service without any tangible results. It does not require a person of Vishy Anand's caliber or a supercomputer to consider the consequences of using faulty tools. Just imagine if I mention the velocity at which a splinter ejects from the shell of a grenade; I am sure people will start addressing this issue. Remember, it is not just the velocity we need to consider, but the harm a splinter can cause to the human body, which requires our attention.

An object that needs to be hammered should be securely fastened, as should the hammer in relation to its handle. A misdirected impact at any moment could result in a splinter or even a missile hitting someone (unless workers are accustomed to working in space alone). These scenarios are quite primitive. Let us pledge to keep our tools and equipment in good condition. You are advising your organization on various aspects, and organizations are willing to invest money, so why can't we ask for better quality not only in hammers but in all tools?

In Hinduism, we worship our tools on Lord Vishwakarma Day, yet we are the only ones who do not strive to improve them. Consider correlating injuries based on the size of the tool, impact, and the proximity of bystanders; I am certain this is not a trivial matter.

Regards,
Ravi Singh

It's not a late reply. You gave your valuable advice at the right time. The PDF file on MSDs was very good. I have gone through it in detail. After that, a very small doubt came to my mind. During our annual/half-yearly medical check-up, can we do any diagnosis/test for the early identification of these MSDs, like we are doing spirometry for assessing conditions such as asthma, pulmonary fibrosis, cystic fibrosis, and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)?

Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us. Thank you for spending your valuable time making a relevant presentation and sharing it with us. Keep on sharing your expertise in the future too.

Regards

Dear Mr. Dipil, please ensure that the proforma for the medical examination of the employees contains an evaluation of all the systems such as CVS, CNS, and a detailed examination of neurological functions, etc. Prolonged use of hammers or tools causing vibrations can lead to tremors, trigger fingers, and other orthopedic disabilities, which need to be periodically assessed during medical examinations. Spirometry and other tests should be conducted depending on the type of industry work profile. If there is a dusty atmosphere, then spirometry is essential.

Regards,
Ravi Singh

Tools can become loose and disintegrate, causing injuries to oneself and those nearby. This can be prevented. Please read the thread in this forum: accident-prevention-slogan.