Safety Flash
Working at height – Use of wooden handled hammers
Working at height – Use of wooden handled hammers
- IMCA
- Safety Flash
- IMCA SF 23/16
- Dropped ObjectsMachinery and EquipmentWorking at Height
- Dropped objectsMechanical failure
- Working at height
- Hand tools
Summary
This safety flash describes several incidents in which wooden-handled hammer heads separated during work at height, with potential for major injury or fatality. The member required single-piece composite hammers instead, removed wooden-handled hammers used for elevated work and arranged regular checks for defects and homemade repairs.
Classifications: Dropped objects; falling objects; DROPS.
Classifications: Mechanical failure; equipment failure.
Classifications: Working at height; work at height.
Classifications: Hand tools; hand-held tools; handheld tools.
Summary
Hammer heads separated from wooden handles during elevated work, leading to removal of wooden-handled tools and adoption of composite designs.
IMCA SF 23/16. Themes: dropped objects, machinery and equipment, working at height.