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Portable Hand and Power Tools
Self Inspection Checklist

Guidelines: This checklist applies to hand and portable power tools and equipment including pneumatic power tools. Fixed and portable abrasive wheels and tools, and fixed woodworking machinery are covered in other checklists.
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General Requirements
  1. Are all portable hand or power tools maintained

    2. in a safe condition?
    [29 CFR 1926.300(a)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
  1. If compressed air is used for cleaning purposes, is it

    2. used at pressures less than 30 psi and only with
    effective chip guarding and personal protective
    equipment?
    [29 CFR 1910.242(b) and 1926.302(b)(4)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
  1. Are power tools equipped and used with guards

    2. whenever possible?
    [29 CFR 1926.300(b)(1)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
  1. Are all belts, gears, shafts, pulleys, sprockets,

    2. spindles, drums, flywheels, chains, or other
    reciprocating, rotating or moving parts of equipment
    guarded if operator is exposed to contact or if they
    otherwise create a hazard?
    [29 CFR 1926.300(b)(2)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
  1. Is all necessary personal protective equipment provided

    2. whenever the use of hand and power tools could
    create falling, flying or splashing debris, or
    harmful dusts, fumes, mists, vapors, or gases.
    [29 CFR 1926.300(c)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
  1. If tools and equipment are brought in from home, are

    2. they subject to the same safety requirements as
    supplied tools and equipment?
    [29 CFR 1910.242(a)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
  1. Are all chain saws, percussion tools, and hand-held

    2. powered circular saws (with blades greater than
    2 inches in diameter) equipped with a constant
    pressure switch that shuts off power when released?
    [29 CFR 1910.243(a)(2)(i); and 1926.300(d)(3)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
  1. Are all hand-held powered drills; tappers; fastener

    2. drivers; horizontal, vertical and angle grinders (with
    wheels greater than 2 inches in diameter); disc sanders
    (with discs greater than 2 inches in diameter); belt
    sanders; reciprocating saws; saber, scroll, jig saws
    (with blade shanks greater than a nominalone-fourth
    (1/4) inch); and other similarly power tools equipped
    with a constant pressure switch or control?
    [29 CFR 1910.243(a)(2)(ii) and 1926.300 (d)(1)-(3)]

    Note: They may be equipped with a lock-on control
    provided the turnoff can be accomplished by a single
    motion by the same finger or fingers that turns it on.
    The Construction standard requires a "momentary
    contact on-off control" instead of a constant
    pressure switch or control. This means that if the
    switch is pressed, the tool turns on and if the
    switched is pressed again, the tool turns off.
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
  1. Are all-hand held powered platen sanders,

    2. grinders (with wheels two-inch diameter or
    less), routers, planers, laminate trimmers,
    nibblers, shears, scroll saws, and jig saws
    (with blade shanks one-fourth (1/4) of an inch
    wide or less), equipped with a positive "on-off"
    control?
    [29 CFR 1910.243(a)(2)(iii) and 1926.300(d)(1)]

    Note: A positive "on-off" control means a switch
    that you must push to turn the tool on and then push
    again to turn it off. Control switches as described
    in questions seven and eight may also be used.
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
  1. On hand-held power tools, is the operating control

    2. located so as to minimize the possibility of
    accidental operation?
    [29 CFR 1910.243(a)(2)(iv)]

    Note: This requirement does not apply to concrete
    vibrators, concrete breakers, powered tampers,
    jackhammers, rock drills, garden appliances,
    household and kitchen appliances, personal care
    appliances, medical or dental equipment, or to
    fixed machinery.
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
  1. Are all portable power driven circular saws (with

    2. blade diameter greater than 2 inches) equipped
    with guards above and below the base plate or shoe?
    [29 CFR 1910.243(a)(1)(i) and 1926.304(d)]

    Note: This requirement does not apply to meat cutting saws.
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
  1. Does the upper guard on a circular saw cover the saw

    2. to the depth of the teeth, except for the minimum arc
    required to permit the base to be tilted for bevel cuts?
    [29 CFR 1926.304(d)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
  1. Does the lower guard on a circular saw cover the saw

    2. to the depth of the teeth, except for the minimum arc
    required to allow proper retraction and contact with
    the work?
    [29 CFR 1926.304(d)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
  1. When a circular saw is removed from the material

    2. being sawed, does the lower guard automatically
    and instantly return to the covering position?
    [29 CFR 1926.304(d)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
  1. Are belt sanding machines provided with guards at each

    2. nip point, where the sanding belt runs onto a pulley?
    [29 CFR 1910.243(a)(3)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
  1. If a saw cracks, is it immediately removed from service?

    2. [29 CFR 1910.243(a)(4)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
  1. Are all portable, electrically powered tools properly

    2. grounded or double insulated?
    [29 CFR 1910.243(a)(5) and 1926.302(a)(1)]
    (See checklist for Electrical--Wiring Design and Protection)
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
  1. Are impact tools, such as drift pins, wedges, and chisels,

    2. kept free of mushroomed heads?
    [29 CFR 1926.301(c)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
  1. Are the wooden handles of tools kept free of splinters

    2. or cracks and are they fixed tightly in the tool?
    [29 CFR 1926.301(d)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
  1. Is it prohibited to lower or hoist a tool by the cord?

    2. [29 CFR 1926.302(a)(2)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
  1. Do woodworking tools meet the American National

    2. Standards Institute (ANSI) safety codes?
    [29 CFR 1926.304(f)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 

Pneumatic Power Tools and Hose
  1. Are pneumatic power tools secured to the hose or

    2. whip by some positive means, so as to prevent the
    tool from being accidentally disconnected?
    [29 CFR 1926.302(b)(1)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
  1. Are safety clips or retainers used on pneumatic

    2. impact (percussion) tools to prevent attachments
    from being accidentally expelled?
    [29 CFR 1910.243(b)(1) and 1926.302(b)(2)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
  1. Are all pneumatically driven nailers, staplers, and

    2. other similar equipment which have automatic
    fastener feeds and which operate at more than
    100 psi pressure at the tool equipped with a safety
    device on the nozzle to prevent the tool from
    ejecting fasteners, unless the muzzle is in contact
    with the work surface?
    [29 CFR 1926.302(b)(3)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
  1. Are all compressed air hoses and hose connections

    2. designed for the pressure and service to which they
    are subjected?
    [29 CFR 1910.243(b)(2) and 1926.302(b)(5)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
  1. Is it prohibited to lower or hoist tools by the hose?

    2. [29 CFR 1926.302(b)(6)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
  1. Do all hoses (exceeding one-half inch inside

    2. diameter) have safety devices at the source of
    the supply or branch line, to reduce pressure in
    case of hose failure?
    [29 CFR 1926.302(b)(7)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
  1. Are airless spray guns [of the type which atomize

    2. paints and fluids at high pressure (1,000 pounds
    or more per square inch)] equipped with automatic
    or visible manual safety devices which prevent
    accidental release of paint or fluid?
    [29 CFR 1926.302(b)(8)]

    Note: In lieu of the above, a diffuser nut which
    will prevent high pressure, high velocity release while
    the nozzle tip is removed, plus a nozzle tip guard
    which will prevent the tip from coming in contact with
    the operator (or other equivalent protection) shall be
    provided.
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
  1. Are all fuel powered tools stopped while being

    2. refueled, serviced, or maintained?
    [29 CFR 1926.302(c)(1)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
  1. Is all fuel transported, handled, and stored in

    2. accordance with applicable regulations?
    [29 CFR 1926.302(c)(1)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 
  1. When fuel powered tools are used in enclosed

    2. spaces, are measures taken to prevent the build-up
    of toxic gases?
    [29 CFR 1926.302(c)(2)]
 Y   N   N/A   ?? 

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National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health