Power tools are vital in all sorts of industrial settings here in Illinois and Indiana; work would simply stop without them. There are literally thousands and thousands of power tools being used right now, as you read this, no matter the time of day or night. Some power tools (like angle grinders) find their way to a number of different worksites, from metalwork to construction sites to manufacturing facilities. Other kinds of power tools are much more task-specific, such as hydraulic chipping hammers or tig torches used by underwater welders.
The risk of serious bodily injury comes alongside any use of any industrial power tool. Read, Hand and Power Tools: the Danger of Serious Work Accident Injuries.
However, some power tools have achieved special reputations for being particularly dangerous. These power tools bring a bit of fear and respect to the workers tasked with using them, especially those who have suffered harm themselves or have witnessed co-workers severely injured in power tool work accidents.
Among the most notoriously dangerous industrial power tools, according to workers themselves (perspectives with obvious authority) as well as safety experts and researchers, are the following:
Angle grinder
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration explains that an angle grinder is:
a handheld power tool used for cutting, grinding and polishing. They can be electric, gas powered, or pneumatic and come in a variety of sizes. Consider disc size, arbor size, motor power, power source and rpm in choosing the correct grinder for the job.
How does it work? An abrasive or cutting disc is mounted at a right angle and rotates rapidly to perform the task. There is an adjustable guard and a side-handle for twohanded operation.
According to Popular Mechanics, an angle grinder is one of the most dangerous power tools on any industrial worksite. The article points to the speed of the spin (10,000 rpm) as well as attachments that can slip and cause severe injury (such as discs or wheels). Read, “10 Power Tools That Could Kill You,” written by Timothy Dahl and published by Popular Mechanics on May 18, 2016.
One machinist on Reddit reported that he had witnessed more work accidents involving angle grinders than anything else. Another IW professional explained that the dangers are complex with angle grinders because they are so popular on the worksite and they have a wide variety of attachments that complicate the hazards. Another point made: the angle grinder will send things like steel particles out into the work area that can be life-altering “…in a millisecond.” There was also the recognition among these workers that angle grinders are prone to explosions – a decided danger for the operator and those in the surrounding jobsite.
Chainsaw
On Quora, an engineering expert warns against a chain saw’s notorious dangers, especially for those working in the logging or forestry industry or in tree trimming. Another boots-on-the-ground perspective on Quora explained that with chainsaws, dangers include hitting a hidden nail which can cause the chainsaw to pivot and slice into a shoulder or even the worker’s head.
There are also dangers with chainsaws caused by the design of the power tool itself, as another Quora contributor points out. The chainsaw can “move in any direction” and the chain itself is vulnerable to failure if it is loose or otherwise faulty.
Lathe
Lathes are another device considered to be among the most dangerous power tools on a job site. Why? From Popular Mechanics comes this warning: “[a] lathe spins at an incredible speed. It’s a powerful tool, and totally unforgiving. It will wrap loose clothes and hair in an instant, causing extreme bodily damage….”
OSHA defines a lathe as follows:
The lathe is a machine tool used principally for shaping pieces of metal (and sometimes wood or other materials) by causing the workpiece to be held and rotated by the lathe while a tool bit is advanced into the work causing the cutting action. The basic lathe that was designed to cut cylindrical metal stock has been developed further to produce screw threads, tapered work, drilled holes, knurled surfaces, and crankshafts.
OSHA warns that lathes are particularly risky for workers because the person faces the constant danger of being physically dragged into the lathe itself with the risk especially high if the worker is wearing gloves, an apron, or even has not tied back loose hair while operating the power tool. Lathes also made the list of the most dangerous tools by workers in the Reddit discussion.
Table Saw
Table saws in industrial settings are needed for straight sawing of wood or other materials. The table saw is a mainstay in any woodworking operation. It can also be found in metalwork where a special type of metal-cutting blade can be used to cut aluminum or steel. Table saws find the worker feeding the lumber or metal along the table and through the saw blade as it rotates (with appropriate height and angle adjustments).
The risks of worker injuries are great with these hand-fed saws. There is the constant risk of cuts, punctures, or eye injuries caused by things being thrown into the work environment by the moving blade (think metal shards or wood chips, even saw teeth). However, the biggest danger with a table saw is the likelihood of kickback. OSHA explains that a kickback happens:
when the blade catches the stock and throws it back toward the operator are another major cause of injury. Kickbacks can result if the blade height is not correct or if the blade is not properly maintained. Kickbacks are more likely to occur when ripping, rather than crosscutting. Kickbacks also can occur if safe-guards are not used or if poor-quality lumber is cut.
Workers on Reddit also point out the notorious risk of kickback with a table saw. It happens a lot. They point out that the lumber can be small and still come at the worker with enough force to cause a serious injury. Larger sheets of plywood can hit the worker on the chest, or even the head.
With enough power, a table saw kickback can kill someone.
Dangerous Power Tools and Worker Safety
Workers in Illinois and Indiana not only deserve the right to be safe on the job, but they are protected by state and federal law against work accident injuries through legal duties of care placed upon employers and others in possession, custody, and control of aspects of their worksite.
This means that all industrial workers asked to use any power tool, but especially those with reputations for being dangerous, should be able to rely upon safety measures and protective protocols being in place. Sadly, all too often this does not happen. The risk of a preventable accident on the job involving a power tool injury is shockingly high.
Safety agencies and those advocating for worker victims and their loved ones in the aftermath of a severe work injury know all too well how often these legal duties are disrespected or ignored with tragic results.
Consider the warnings within the Reddit discussion just on angle grinder hazards: workers described (1) an employer tossing out guards for the angle grinder “out of the box;” (2) an employer that removed angle grinder guards “…to put a 7″ wheel on a 4″ grinder then jammed it into some stainless;” and (3) an employer that “throws away all of his wheel guards.”
Imagine how many more stories are out there of workers being exposed to danger through the cavalier antics of those with legal duties to keep workers safe.
There is a growing trend for industrial workers to suffer severe bodily harm or fatal injuries on the job today. It is imperative that our workers are aware of the dangers they face on their jobsite each day as well as being alert to the cruel possibility that their employers (and other parties with legal responsibility) are not following the law in workplace safety and callously putting workers in harm’s way.
For more, read:
- Who Is Responsible After Worker’s Power Tool Accident?
- Power Sources for Power Tools and Severe or Deadly Work Accidents
- Power Tools and the Risk of Serious or Deadly Construction Accidents
- Who Can Claim Damages After a Work Accident in Indiana or Illinois?
- What are Legal Damages After a Work-Related Accident in Indiana or Illinois?
- Work Accident in Illinois or Indiana: Workers Compensation Claim vs. Personal Injury Damages
- The Reality of Widespread Industrial Work Accident Deaths in Illinois and Indiana: Warning to Our Workers.
Power tools can change lives in an instant. Amputations, blunt trauma injuries, catastrophic injuries involving cuts to muscles or nerves, and even death can result from a power tool work accident. Please be careful out there!
