There have been several angle grinder accidents reported in our various workplaces. These angle grinder accidents range from minor to severe; some resulting in fatality. The good news is that over 90% of these accidents are preventable if good safety precautions are adopted.
This article will discuss the main causes of these accidents and also recommend safety preventive measures to adopt.
What is an angle grinder?
An angle grinder, also known as a side grinder or disc grinder, is a handheld power tool used for grinding (abrasive cutting) and polishing. Angle grinders use a wide variety of cutting and grinding wheels, like the diamond wheel.
Causes of Angle Grinder Accidents
The major causes of accidents associated with the angle grinder are:
- Negligence
- Ignorance and
- Carelessness
Users of this piece of equipment have to always follow all necessary safety precautions relevant to the equipment. When any of these safety precautions are not followed, either due to ignorance, negligence, or carelessness, something really bad can happen.
Example Of Unsafe Use Of The Angle Grinder
From the picture above, you can quickly spot a lot of hazards/risks there.
- Unsafe equipment: The equipment guards have been removed
- No PPE – No safety boot, eye google, coveralls, hand gloves, etc.
- Poor insulated electrical lead – You can see where the lead is tied with poor insulation material.
In this case, no control has been put in place, so the probability of this person getting hurt in this process is very high.
This is very rampant in our job sites, and it should be greatly discouraged if we must prevent angle grinder accidents.
Read Also: 20 Invaluable Construction Safety Precautions
Major angle grinder accidents – Pictures and videos
In this section, I will present pictures/videos of accidents associated with the angle grinder.
This is to make us see the need to follow safe precautions and to encourage others to do the same when using this equipment.
Videos – Click on the links to watch
Angle Grinder Safety Tips
- Make sure the equipment is inspected before use, during use, and after use. This inspection should cover the equipment with the electrical leads and plugs.
- Use appropriate PPE (Personal protective equipment)
- Unplug the grinder when not in use to prevent unauthorized use.
- Do not trigger down the dead-man switch.
- Attach the handle and maintain a firm grip with both hands.
- Do not remove the equipment guard.
- Do not use the equipment if not trained to.
- Clear your work area to prevent other workers from being exposed to the risk associated with the equipment.
- Take out the combustibles, so that they won’t constitute fuel for fire generation.
- Never use faulty equipment. If it is faulty, report it to your immediate superior and put it out of use.
Follow all necessary safety precautions, also encourage others to do the same when using the angle grinder.
LEARN FROM THE MISTAKES OF OTHERS SINCE YOU MAY NOT LIVE LONG ENOUGH TO MAKE ALL THE MISTAKES YOURSELF
Read Also: 11 Important machine safety tips for accident prevention
I believe the topic has been well covered – For questions and contributions, contact us via our contact page.
Thank you
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