Safety Notes: Hammer

Overview

Hammers and other striking tools are widely used and often abused. Hammers are made for specific purposes in various types and sizes, and with striking surfaces of varying hardness. For example, hammers are used for general carpentry, framing, nail pulling, cabinet making, assembling furniture, upholstering, finishing, riveting, bending or shaping metal, striking masonry drill and steel chisels, and so on. Hammers are designed according to the intended purpose.

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  Claw hammer

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  Ball peen hammer

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  Mallet

Do

• Use the right hammer for the job, and the hammer that is the right size and weight for you.
• Ensure that the head of the hammer is firmly attached to the handle, and that the handle is not loose, cracked or splintered handles.
• Discard any hammer with mushroomed or chipped face or with cracks in the claw or eye sections.
• Wear safety glasses or goggles, or a face shield (with safety glasses or goggles).
• Strike a hammer blow squarely with the striking face parallel to the surface being struck. Always avoid glancing blows and over and under strikes. (Hammers with bevelled faces are less likely to chip or spall.)
• Look behind and above you before swinging the hammer.
• Watch the object you are hitting.
• Hold the hammer with your wrist straight and your hand firmly wrapped around the handle

Don't

• Do not use a hammer with a loose or damaged handle.
• Do not use handles that are rough, cracked, broken, splintered, sharp-edged or loosely attached to head.
• Do not use any hammer head with dents, cracks, chips, mushrooming, or excessive wear.
• Do not use a hammer for any purpose for which it was not designed or intended.
• Do not use one hammer to strike another hammer, other hard metal objects, stones or concrete.
• Do not redress, grind, weld or reheat-treat a hammer head.
• Do not strike with the side or cheek of the hammer.