SAFE TOOL & EQUIPMENT PRACTICE

’Safe Tool & Equipment Practice’ provides you with the information you need to use your tools and equipment correctly. Simply click on the topics below and you will be taken to the relevant information. If your question isn’t covered in the below visit the ‘Product Support’ or ‘Care & Maintenance’ pages or contact KINCROME’s Customer Service Centre on 1300 657 528 for more information.

SAFE TOOL & EQUIPMENT PRACTICE

SOCKETS & ACCESSORIES

SPANNERS

PLIERS & CUTTERS

SCREWDRIVERS & FASTENING

TOOL BOXES & STORAGE

TORQUE WRENCHES

STRIKING & PRYING TOOLS

SAFE TOOL & EQUIPMENT PRACTICE

SOCKETS & ACCESSORIES

Sensible attitude and equipment

• Never use a standard socket on a power or impact gun.
• Ratchets are specially designed to speed up rotation. For loosening very tight fasteners, it is preferable to select a sliding T-handle.
• Ratchet maintenance is simple and normally requires only cleaning and lubrication to ensure optimum performance. Use Kincrome repair kits where necessary.
• Check condition of both tool and fastener before use. Do not use tools showing signs of excessive wear or breakage.

SPANNERS

Sensible attitude and equipment

• Make sure that you are well balanced, and pull the wrench towards you rather than push it.
• Wear eye protection.
• Do not grind, weld or heat your tools; it could make them unsafe.
• Check the condition of both fastener and tool before use.

Correct tool selection without overload

• Never exceed the capacity of a tool. Do not use an extension or a hammer with a standard spanner; slogging spanners are available for that purpose.
• Always use the right size for the fastener head. Do not use metric wrenches on inch fasteners.

PLIERS & CUTTERS

Personal Safety

• Wear eye protection especially when cutting wire and fitting circlips.

Correct tool selection

• Keep within cutter capacity (wire diameter and hardness).
• Neither modify nor heat tips as this will impair performance.
• Cut at right angles and avoid twisting the wire. Use the throat rather than the tip of cutting edges.
• Do not use pliers to tighten a fastener as this will cause damage.
• When fitting circlips, use a tool within the correct range and only compress or expand the clip just enough.
• Lockgrip pliers should not be used as a permanent clamp. Components can move due to vibration or shock.

SCREWDRIVERS & FASTENING

Personal safety

• Keep your free hand clear when driving home a fastener in case the screwdriver slips.

Correct tool selection

• Avoid using screwdrivers as chisels, levers or punches.
• To avoid damage to fastener head or tool blade, always select the appropriate pattern, especially Phillips and Pozi drive, in the correct size.
• Do not modify or heat blades as this will impair performance.
• For extra torque, select a screwdriver with a hexagon shoulder to take a wrench, but never use pliers.

TOOL BOXES & STORAGE

Tool Boxes & Chests

• Watch your back when lifting heavy tool boxes.
• Close and lock the lid and drawers before moving the tool box. The lid or drawers could open and the unit could tip causing personal injury or damage.
• Do not exceed drawer load limit.
• Do not open multiple drawers during use. The unit could tip if a number of drawers are extended causing personal injury or damage.

Tool Trolleys

• Never open more than one loaded drawer at a time, otherwise the unit may tip over.
• Do not overload the drawers.
• Apply the brake on locking castors when stationary. Close all drawers before moving and always push cabinet, never pull. Push trolleys at speeds so you can turn trolley at will.
• Do not move trolleys with items on top.
• Do not step on unit drawers.
• Too much weight in front of drawers can cause unit to tip forward.

TORQUE WRENCHES

Sensible care for precision tools

• Be sure to avoid overloading by applying torques beyond rated capacity.
• Never fit an extension as this would modify lever ratios and result in incorrect readings.
• Always store torque wrenches carefully after use.
• Always return the wrench to zero after use.
• Torque wrenches are precision tools. Have yours checked regularly by Kincrome inspection facilities.

STRIKING & PRYING TOOLS

Personal safety for Hammers & Impact Tools

• Wear eye and hand protection.
• Avoid striking equally hard surfaces. Do not use a hammer on surfaces exceeding 46Hrc. Use a mallet instead.
• Do not use suspect tools such as hammers with chipped heads, insecure or cracked handles, excessively mushroomed chisel or punch ends. Check handle fit before use.

Correct tool selection

• Remember the rule of thumb for choosing a hammer, ie. That the head should have a diameter about 10mm larger than the surface you wish to strike. Avoid hitting with the edge of the hammer.
• Do not use punches for leverage.