Hammer Safety

HammersHow many kinds of hammers are there? There are about l5, including claw, sledge, bricklayer's, peen, chipping, tack, and soft faced- Maybe you can think of others. While a very basic tool, hammers can cause serious injury when not used properly. In fact, a misplace hammer alone can break a bone in your wrist, hand or fingers, as well as cause minor scrapes, cuts and bruising to any part of your body. Some 30,000 persons are injured annually using hammers.

Here are basic and very important guidelines in using hammer safety: The following suggestions can help to keep you from injuring yourself or ruining the tool, no matter what kind of hammer you use.   

  1. USE THE RIGHT TYPE AND SIZE HAMMER FOR THE JOB
    Use a carpenter's hammer, for example, for driving or pulling nails. Not for striking star drills or cold chisels. Don't use a lightweight hammer for a heavy job. You'll work harder and increase the chances of hurting yourself or damaging the tool.  
  2. STRIKE THE SURFACE SQUARELY
    Always using the head of the hammer and never the side. A glancing blow increases your chances of striking a finger or chipping the hammer head. Don't strike one hammer with another. Hammerheads are made of hardened steel, and pieces may chip off and fly.   
  3. CONTROL THE HAMMER 
    By holding it toward the end of the handle. Beginners have a tendency to choke up on the handle, reducing the force of the blow and making it difficult to hit the target squarely.  
  4. WEAR SAFETY GLASSES 
    To protect your eyes against flying chips when striking objects such as chisels, punches, and drills.  
  5. BE SURE THE TARGET IS STATIONARY AND FIRM
    When driving stakes or hitting a large cold chisel, be sure the person holding the work uses tongs. This will protect him from being hit a glancing blow.  
  6. KEEP HAMMERS CLEAN AND IN GOOD CONDITION
    You can get into trouble by using a hammer with a loose or worn head, or one that has a cracked or broken handle.  

In baseball it's three strikes and you're out. But it takes only one strike when you're using a worn hammer, the wrong hammer –or even when you're using the right hammer incorrectly.

Kyle’s Story

Kyle, a carpenter, was working on the roof of a house. As he began hammering, suddenly the head of the hammer came loose and struck his co-worker.

  • What could Kyle have done to prevent this incident?
  • Do you know anyone who has been injured while using a hammer? If so, what happened?
Remember This
  • ALWAYS wear eye protection when using a hammer.
  • Wear hearing protection if you are doing a lot of hammering.
  • Check the hammer before use. If it has any defects, such as a loose head or cracked handle, do not use it.
  • Make sure the area around you is clear and that no one is standing behind you.
  • Use the right type of hammer for the job.
    • Use a claw hammer for driving nails. The claw part is suitable for pulling nails out.
    • Use hammers with electrically insulated handles for work on or around exposed energized parts.
    • NEVER strike hardened steel surfaces with a steel hammer.
    • Use a soft metal hammer or one with a plastic, wood, or rawhide head when striking steel surfaces.
Foreman Submission