Nail Safety With Tool Belts

Tool belts are the next best thing to sliced bread, but they can turn a normally productive day into misery if you’re careless. A falling tool is subject to damage, and can cause injuries to your feet or to others working below. A sharp tool such as a chisel can stab you if it is not carried safely.

Tool belts allow you to keep your hands free for tasks, while securing your tools and guarding their sharp edges.

Choose the right tool belt assembly. Pockets, pouches and slots should be the correct size and shape to keep tools from falling out. The belt should be made of a sturdy material, reinforced for tool points and edges.

Knives, saws, hatchets, axes and other cutting or chopping tools must be guarded with scabbards or sheaths to prevent injury and tool damage.

Don’t hang your tool belt up on nails, hooks or other protruding objects where it may cause an entanglement hazard around mobile equipment or machinery.

A tool belt should be balanced so the weight is approximately equal on each side. When the belt is heavier on one side, your back is pulled out of alignment. If you need most of your tools on one side for easy access, balance the other side with supplies.

Use broad-strapped suspenders to allow the muscles in your upper back and shoulders to take some of the load. Take the tool belt off when you take a break. This will give your back a rest.

Don’t pack around excess pounds. Take a regular inventory of items in your tool belt and get rid of unnecessary weight.

Tool belts must never be used as safety belts for working at heights.

Cool tool tips
– Choose the right tool for the job.
– The tool must be free from defects.
– Store tools in a safe place where they will not be damaged and where they cannot cause injury.
– Wear the required personal protective equipment.
– Take all precautions to prevent electrical shock; don’t rely solely on insulation.
– Tools that are used in potentially flammable or explosive environments should be of the nonsparking type.

Use your tool belt wisely. You’ll prevent nasty injuries, back problems and entanglement hazards.