Safety Flash
Hand injury from portable hand-held angle grinder
Hand injury from portable hand-held angle grinder
- IMCA
- Safety Flash
- IMCA SF 27/20
- Competence and TrainingHand and Finger InjuriesMachinery and EquipmentPersonal Protective Equipment
- EntanglementHand and finger injuries
- Inspection and maintenance
- Grinding equipmentHand toolsPersonal protective equipment
- Competence and trainingOperational supervisionRisk assessment
Summary
A worker cleaning equipment with a wire-brush angle grinder suffered a deep hand abrasion when the glove was drawn into the brush. The flash identifies an incomplete risk assessment, missing side grip, unsafe positioning, absent formal training and inadequate supervision, and records corrective actions addressing these shortcomings.
Classifications: Entanglement; caught in machinery; drawn into machinery.
Classifications: Hand and finger injuries; finger injury; hand injury.
Classifications: Inspection and maintenance; asset inspection; equipment maintenance.
Classifications: Grinding equipment; angle grinder; grinding wheel.
Classifications: Hand tools; hand-held tools; handheld tools.
Classifications: Personal protective equipment; PPE; personal protection equipment.
Classifications: Competence and training; competency assurance; safety training.
Classifications: Operational supervision.
Classifications: Risk assessment; hazard assessment.
Summary
A worker was injured whilst cleaning equipment using a portable handheld angle grinder fitted with a wire brush. The rotating brush caught an edge and kicked into the worker’s gloved left hand. The glove was pulled into the rotating wire brush resulting in a deep abrasion to the hand.
IMCA SF 27/20. Themes: competence and training, hand and finger injuries, machinery and equipment, personal protective equipment.