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Always use the correct tool for the job - never makeshifts.
Do not borrow tools from other trades or other contractors - see your supervisor.
Make sure the tool is in good condition.
Check wooden handles regularly for splits and cracks, and to ensure that wedges are tight.
Keep tools clean and dry, with moving and adjustable parts lightly oiled.
Cutting edges must be kept sharp.
Worn or damaged tools must not be used - report them to your supervisor.
Do not leave tools lying around where persons could fall over them.
Do not leave them at heights where they could fall on to persons below.
Report any defect in any tool or any system of work without delay.
Further detailed guidance is below for each individual tool, use the sections you require.
Picks and shovels must be kept clean, and in safe condition with handles free from cracks and splinters.
A shovel blade should not be allowed to become blunt, turned, split or jagged - if it does, report it to your supervisor.
Pick head points must be sharp.
A pick head must be secure on the handle - if it is not, report it.
When using a pick, establish a firm footing with legs apart. Strike the blow so that the point of contact is within easy reach, but not too close to the feet.
Safety boots with steel toe caps are essential.
Check that the surrounding area, including overhead, is clear of obstructions and people.
Once damaged, picks and shovels must not be used
Heads must be firmly and accurately set, secured by proper wedges.
Heads showing any signs of cracking or damage must be replaced at once.
Shafts must be in good condition.
Always use the correct hammer for the job, e.g. cross pein or claw hammer for carpentry work; ball pein for engineering work; and club hammer for heavy work.
A ball pein hammer must not be used to drive nails.
Cartridge tool pins must not be driven with a hammer.
Let the hammer do the work by using one that is large enough - the only energy required is for lifting it and projecting it against the object.
Not to be used as chisels, drifts or wedges.
To be of the correct size - it must be capable of driving the screw with little effort.
To be properly ground to fit the slot in the screw.
Pliers or grips must not be used to obtain additional leverage.
Do not hammer the handle.
Do not use with a damaged handle - hand injuries could result.
Do not carry an unprotected screwdriver in your pocket.
The cutting edge must be kept sharp.
When burring develops the shaft must be re-ground.
It is important to select the correct size of chisel for the job, and a hammer of the correct weight.
Hold between the thumb and forefinger with a loose grip.
Keep your eye on the cutting edge and strike firmly.
Rubber mushroom shrouds must be in good condition
Always wear high impact protective goggles.
The sharper the saw, the safer it will be and the more accurately it will cut.
Rip saws are for cutting with the grain; cross-cut saws are for cutting across the grain.
Timber being cut must be firmly secured or supported.
Before making a cut look out for knots and nails.
A cut should be started by drawing the saw upwards until it bites the wood, using the thumb of the disengaged hand as a guide at the side of the blade.
Use long strokes and do not exert too much pressure.
To be equipped with sound, tightly fitted handles.
Keep teeth clean by the use of a wire brush.
Protect the teeth when not in use - do not leave lying about.
Use only sufficient pressure on the file to keep it cutting.
A file must not be used as a chisel or pinch-bar - the tang end is soft and will bend easily, the body is brittle and will break easily.
It is particularly dangerous to hammer a file as it will shatter and pieces may fly.
Misuse and carelessness can cause injuries to the hands.
Spanner lengths are graded to provide sufficient leverage on the nut for which they are intended.
Use only the right size spanner - checking first to ensure that the jaws are in good condition.
Attempts to increase the leverage can strip the thread of a nut or snap the bolt off and possibly increase the risk of the user falling.
Adjustable spanners must have square and undamaged jaws. They are liable to snap if struck with a hammer.
Pipe wrenches must be large enough for the job, with the jaw teeth clean and sharp, with the knurl, pin and spring undamaged.
Pipe wrenches, like adjustable spanners will not withstand hammer blows.
Care must be taken to ensure that the grip on a wrench will not endanger you should the tool slip - especially important when working overhead.
Work at heights with pipe wrenches should be undertaken, not from stepladders or trestles, but from properly constructed scaffolds.
Do not leave in elevated locations from which they could fall.
Pliers should only be used when there are no other tools for the job.
Slip-joint pliers are for gripping round objects only.
Pliers misused as spanners will damage nuts.
They are not designed for pulling nails - pincers or a claw hammer should be used.
When cutting wire under tension, high impact safety goggles must be worn.
Must be kept lightly lubricated.
Knives must be kept sharp - the excessive pressure required to use a blunt knife is likely to result in an injury when the knife slips.
Many knives have a specific function and special training may be required - if in doubt, ask.
When not in use, knives must be sheathed or have the blades retracted.
