The number one objective of every workplace in the world, especially construction sites, is to provide a safe place to work as much as possible. But sometimes, accidents happen, especially if you become too complacent with your work and forget to take extra precautionary measures to avoid disasters.
Sometimes, even a seemingly innocent tool can be the cause of major accidents that can leave you wondering what went wrong. A tool accident that can easily be prevented if you would only adhere and follow the safety tips provided. In this article, we will tackle belt sanders, the danger it poses and ways in which we can avoid accidents to take place.
Belt Sanders and the Danger It Imposes
According to a report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2014, construction sites are one of the most common places where accidents are most likely to happen. About 10% of accidents are caused by the tools used inside the construction sites. Part of the list of tools considered very dangerous and should be handled with utmost caution is the belt sander.
A belt sander is an indispensable tool for people who work around wood. According to Wood news online, it is on the list of a must-have tool if you have a passion for crafting wood or metal and turning them into a beautiful work of art. For more information about crafting wood or if you want to start wood crafting as a hobby, you can read on certain guidelines to help you.
Although very useful, belt sanders are considered very dangerous, and if used unwisely and incorrectly, may result in accidents that can cause injury, permanent damage, or in a worst case scenario, death. Age and experience do not even prevent belt sanders accidents from taking place. No matter how well experienced you are with this tool, negligence of the safety tips imposed on proper handling of this device can result in a bigger damage. So please always remember that when working with a dangerous tool, extreme precautionary measures should always be observed.
Belt Sander Safety Tips
- Before using a belt sander, make sure that you are properly equipped with the following:
– Safety goggles – Belt sanders emit a lot of sawdust, especially the old-fashioned ones who don’t have a dust bag attached to the machine. Make sure to protect your eyes from sawdust because a single dust that penetrates the eye can cause severe damage.
– Dust mask – This is essential as inhaling dust can be fatal.
– Hearing protection – Belt sanders can be very loud so it is important to keep your ears safe and secured.
- Make sure to check if the belt sander is unplugged before doing anything to it such as replacing the sandpaper or belts and emptying the dust bag.
- Sometimes, belt sanders can be used to sand metal, so make sure to work in a place where there are no flammable objects lying around. Sanding metals can emit sparks that can start a fire if mixed with a flammable object. If you used your belt sander to sand wood, remove all the wood dust first before working on sanding metal for wood dust is highly flammable.
- Always inspect the tool and check for possible damage for immediate replacement.
- Make sure that the lock mechanism of the sander is securely locked so that upon using, the sander won’t fly across the room.
- Using a belt sander requires a lot of force because of the pressure of grating, polishing or shaping wood or metal, so make sure that you hold on tightly to the tool (especially the hand-held belt sander) to avoid releasing it from hold and cause a massive accident.
In other countries like the United Kingdom, there are available claims for computation if you were involved in a belt sander accident. You can also read on additional safety guidelines in using a belt sander.
Always remember that safety starts with you. Make sure to follow the safety tips mentioned above when using a belt sander. Accidents can be prevented if you will just keep in mind to take extra precautionary measures and be vigilant of other people’s safety.
For more information about belt sanders, you can check reviews and guides of different belt sander brands to know which brand is the best.
Author Bio: Anthony is a Home Improvement DIYer, who is interested in different projects of Home Improvement. He blogs at Equipment Area, where he shares tips, guides and reviews of different tools around the house.
