CHAPTER 36 HAND TOOLS

36 HAND TOOLS Wood Chisels Cutting Edge

Bevel
Most injuries with this
Injuries with hand tools are not often serious but tool can be prevented Bevel Edge Blade
they do involve lost time. Common causes include by keeping the hand
using the wrong tool, using the right tool improperly, that holds the work
haste, and lack of training or experience. behind, not in front of, Shoulder
the chisel. In addition, Handle
Hand Saws follow the safe work
practices listed below:
Select the right hand saw for the job—either a Head
crosscut saw or a rip saw. A crosscut saw should • Keep the tool sharp.
be used when cutting across the grain of the wood. A dull or incorrectly sharpened chisel is difficult
A rip saw is best for cutting with the grain. The to control and tedious to work with.
illustrations below show the differences in teeth • Chisels not in use or stored in a toolbox should
between rip and crosscut saws. have protective caps.
• Wood chisels are tempered to be very hard. The
metal is brittle and will shatter easily against hard
surfaces.
• Never use a chisel for prying.
The side and tooth-
edge views of a typical
• Repeatedly striking the chisel with the palm of
crosscut saw. your hand may lead to a musculoskeletal disorder.
• With chisels and other striking tools, always wear
eye protection. Gloves are recommended to help
prevent cuts and bruises.

Cold Chisels Flat

Cold chisels are used

The side and tooth- to cut or shape soft
edge views of a metals as well as
typical rip saw. concrete and brick. They Cross Cut/Cape
come in a variety of
different shapes such as
flat, cross cut (or cape),
half round, and diamond
A 9-point hand saw is best for cutting softwood. point.
For crosscutting hardwood, the best choice is an
11-point saw. In time, the struck end of Mushroom Dressed Head
a chisel will mushroom.
When starting a cut, keep your thumb up high to This can cause striking tools to slip off the end.
guide the saw and avoid injury. Once you start Also, fragments can fly off and the sharp edges can
crosscutting, maintain an angle of 45 degrees cause injury. ALWAYS wear eye protection. Grind
between the saw and wood (see illustration below). off mushroomed heads and keep the struck end
When using a rip saw, the best angle is 60 degrees. properly dressed. The top should be flat and the sides
chamfered (i.e., cut at a 45° angle).

Axes and Hatchets

In construction, axes are mainly used for making stakes
or wedges and splitting or shaping rough timbers.
Bit
Face
Half Hatchet

Best method for crosscutting

Bit

Shingling
Hatchet Striking Face

Tools and Techniques 36-1

HAND TOOLS

• Unless it has a striking face, don’t use the hatchet • Missing the target with the head and hitting the
as a hammer. The head or the wooden handle can handle instead can weaken or break the stem of the
crack and break. handle. Another swing can send the head flying.
• Hatchets with striking faces are meant only for • Always check the handle and head. Make sure
driving common nails, not for striking chisels, the head is secure and tight. Replace damaged
punches, drills, or other hardened metal tools. handles.
• Never use an axe or hatchet as a wedge or chisel • As with any striking or struck tool, always wear
and strike it with a hammer. eye protection.
• Most carpenters prefer a hatchet with a solid or • Swinging a sledgehammer is hard work. Avoid
tubular steel handle and a hammer head with a working to the point of fatigue. Make sure you
slot for pulling nails. have the strength to maintain aim and control.
Those who are not used to working with a
Light Blow Heavy Blow sledgehammer should take regular rest breaks
Grasp the handle until they build up their physical stamina.
of the hand axe
approximately halfway
between the ends
to strike a light blow
and at the end of the
Claw Hammers
handle to obtain the Claw hammers are
necessary swing for a Head Cheek available in many shapes,
heavy blow.
Hand well up Hand at end of weights, and sizes for
on handle. handle. various purposes.
Face Claw Handles can be wooden
or steel (solid or
Sledgehammers Poll
Handle
tubular). Metal handles
Neck
are usually covered with
Sledgehammers are useful for drifting heavy a shock-absorbing
timbers and installing and dismantling formwork. material that provides a
They can knock heavy panels into place and drive more comfortable grip.
stakes in the ground for bracing.
Start with a good quality
Sledgehammers can also be used to drive thick hammer of medium
tongue-and-groove planking tightly together. Use a weight (16 ounces) with a
block of scrap wood to prevent damage to the planks. grip suited to the size of
your hand.
Rest your arm occasionally to avoid tendinitis. Avoid
overexertion in pulling out nails. Use a crow bar or
nail puller when necessary.
When nailing, start with one “soft” hit, that is, with
Striking
Face fingers holding the nail. Then let go and drive the nail
in the rest of the way.

The main hazard is the weight of the head. Once Strike with the hammer face at right angles to the
the hammer is in motion it’s almost impossible to nailhead. Glancing blows can lead to flying nails. Clean
stop the swing. Serious bruises and broken bones the face on sandpaper to remove glue and gum.
have been caused by sledgehammers off-target Don’t use hammers on concrete, steel chisels,
and out of control (see illustration below). hardened steel-cut nails, or masonry nails.
Discard any hammer with a dented, chipped, or
mushroomed striking face or with claws broken,
deformed, or nicked inside the nail slot.

Caution: Repeated use of a hammer may lead to

musculoskeletal injury (e.g., tendinitus), strain,
or carpal tunnel syndrome. Exercising to warm
up, as well as to develop and maintain overall
muscle condition, may help to reduce the risk of
strain or injury.

36-2 Construction Health and Safety Manual

 HAND TOOLS

Utility Knives You can put your fingers on the shank to help
guide and hold the screwdriver. But the main action
Utility knives cause more cuts than is on the handle, which should be large enough to
any other sharp-edged cutting tool in allow enough grip and torque to drive the screw.
construction. Power drivers present obvious advantages when
Use knives with retractable blades only. screws must be frequently or repeatedly driven.

Always cut away from your body, Note: All crosspoint screws are not designed to be
especially away from your free hand. driven by a Phillips screwdriver. Phillips screws and
When you’re done with the knife, retract drivers are only one type among several crosspoint
the blade at once. A blade left exposed is systems. They are not interchangeable.
dangerous, especially in a toolbox.

Screwdrivers
More than any other tool, the screwdriver is used
for jobs it was never meant to do. Screwdrivers
are not intended for prying, scraping, chiselling,
scoring, or punching holes.
The most common abuse of the screwdriver is Phillips Reed & Prince Pozidriv Torque Set
using one that doesn’t fit or match the fastener.
(i.e., using a screwdriver too big or too small for the
screw or not matched to the screw head). Plumb Bobs
The weight of a mercury-filled plumb bob will
surprise you. Designed for use in windy conditions,
the bob has considerable weight in proportion to
Robertson its surface area.

Slot

Phillips

Torx

The results are cuts and punctures from slipping

screwdrivers, eye injuries from flying fragments of
pried or struck screwdrivers, and damaged work.
As best practice, make a pilot hole before driving
in a screw. Start with one or two “soft” turns, that Solid Plumb Bob
is, with the fingers of your free hand on the screw.
Engage one or two threads, make sure the screw is The weight and point of the bob can make it
going in straight, then take your fingers away. dangerous. Ensure that all is clear below when you
lower the bob.
Store it securely so that it doesn't fall out of your
pocket, apron, or tool bag. The same goes for the
standard solid bob.

Crow Bars
Any steel bar 25-150 cm long
and sharpened at one end is
often called a crow bar.
The tools include pry bars,
pinch bars, and wrecking bars.
Shorter ones usually have a
curved claw for pulling nails and
a sharp, angled end for prying.

Tools and Techniques 36-3

HAND TOOLS

Nail Pulling Class 6A

Face shield for impact, piercing,
Pulling out nails can be easier splash, head, and glare protection.
with a crow bar than a claw a) hard hat attachment; b) face
hammer. shield (window).

In some cases, a nail-puller does Class 6B

the job best. Keep the hand Face shield for light non-piercing
holding the claw well away from impact, splash, low heat, and glare
protection. The major difference
the striking handle.
between 6A and 6B is the degree
Nail-Puller of thickness in the shield.
Lifting
Loads levered, lifted, or shifted by bars can land on
fingers and toes. Class 6C
Face shield for light non-piercing
• Make sure to clear the area and maintain control impact and high heat protection
of the load. only (usually wire screen windows).
• Have enough rollers and blocking ready. a) hard hat attachment; b) wire
• Never—not even for a split second—put fingers or screen.
toes under the load.
• Try to avoid prying, pulling, wedging, or lifting at
sharp angles or overhead.
• Wherever possible, keep the bar at right angles to
the work.
• Wear eye protection and, where necessary, face
protection as required under CAN/CSA Z94.3-15:
Eye and Face Protectors (see illustrations below).

Examples of Class 1 - Spectacles

Class 1A
Spectacles with side protection

Class 1B
Spectacles with side and radiation
protection

36-4 Construction Health and Safety Manual