Safety 101

The safety of our customers is one our primary concerns at Black&Decker. Whether you’re an amateur or a professional, accidents do happen. Here are a couple of things you can do, that can prevent accidents:

  

1. Before you use any power tool for the first time, know what you’re getting into! Make sure you read the instruction manual.  It is important to understand exactly how to use your tools. Reading the manual will help you understand what the tool can be used for and what the best way to operate it is.  

    
2. Different tools may require different personal safety guards but, it is a must, to use eye goggles while using ANY power tool. This will stop any stray debris and dust from getting into your eyes. It is also advisable to wear full sleeved shirts and full length pants to make sure no debris can cut or scrape your skin.

3.  Inspect your equipment before you use it, make sure that there are no blunt blades or loose cables! While inspecting power tools make sure that the equipment is not connected to any power source. Never hold a power tool by its chord/cable, it could cause a loose connection inside the machine. 
  

4. If you are changing the blade or just cleaning your equipment, make sure that the power tool is disconnected from its power source. A slip of the finger could turn on the tool if it is still switched on at the power source. 
  

5. Never use any power tools if you are tired, if you have been consuming alcohol or even cough syrup! Any of these could impair your judgment and your control, control of yourself and the machine.One split second is all it takes to cause an accident. 

6.  Never leave an active power tool unattended under any circumstance. Once you are finished with your equipment make sure you disconnect it and keep it out of the reach of children and pets.
 

7. Keep your work area as clean as possible, excess clutter may get in your way and prevent you from using the tool efficiently and correctly. Also, make sure that there are no flammable substances nearby, because even a small spark from your power tool could set off a fire in no time.

8. Avoid wearing loose clothes and long dangly jewellery and if you have long hair make sure it’s always tied up! All of these can get caught in the equipment and pull you into it. If you are wearing gloves, make sure that they are fitted correctly so that there is no extra cloth which can get caught in the machinery.

9. Always use the right tools at the right time.Do not use a tool to do something other than what it was designed to do. The results could be disastrous. 

  

10. A lot of power tools today come with safety guards in place, as tempting as it may be, do NOT remove them! They are there for a reason! 

Well, there you have it, 10 safety measures that you should have no problem practicing. Simple as they are, implementing them can go a long way in keeping you safe.