By Michael Weston
Today I was reading about the statistics in relation to serious injuries to workers in Australia when operating angle grinders, particularly hand-held grinders. Whilst looking more into the finer details, I came across this incident that occurred earlier this year in Australia.
The article was about a 71-year-old worker that was seriously injured while using a 19-inch angle grinder during renovation work at an industrial shed. The worker was standing on a ladder and cutting steel wall frames above his head when the incident occurred. The worker had been using a 5-inch angle grinder to make the initial cuts but switched to the larger 19-inch grinder to finish the job quicker. The grinder kicked-back causing a laceration that ran from the worker’s face, along this throat and into his chest. He survived!
Investigators found that the extension lead the grinder that was plugged into, had been modified with a 15-amp socket attached to a 10-amp lead allowing the lead to be overloaded, subsequently causing burning and a poor connection inside the 10-amp plug.
Whilst reading this, I reflected on a near miss I had myself years ago when attempting to use a hand-held grinder to cut off a padlock (no key) that was attached to a side gate to my backyard. While holding the padlock in my left hand and my right hand holding the grinder, I received a major kick-back which nearly resulted in me losing my hand…I was very stupid and very lucky!
It’s a clear reminder that:
- Our power tools are not toys
- Power tools hold energy and aren’t intended to contact soft tissue
- Choosing the right tool for the job is imperative
- Modifying tools or electrical cords can introduce hazards
- Secure the item being worked on
- Maintain both hands on the grinder
- Always risk assess before starting a task
*It’s important to note that some workplaces in Australia have banned the use of hand-held grinders.
Please remember that POWER TOOLS AREN’T TOYS!
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