Most people are first exposed to portable power tools at an early age, watching as others use the tool before being called upon to help with projects. Safety and training is often secondary or nonexistent for these first-time tool users. Often, safety teaching moments occur only after incurring a near accident or bodily injury.
Some new employees may not have previously used the tool(s) that are required to perform their job. It is a good idea to ask new employees about their experience with each tool they will use. If there is any doubt regarding their ability to use them safely, training should be conducted.
Power tools can be dangerous when misused. By following the proper safety measures below, you can significantly reduce the chance of an accident.
| Personal Protective Equipment | Work Condition |
| Safey Goggles | Anytime a particle could fall or fly into eyes |
| Face Shields | Using grinders, buffing wheels, etc. |
| Safety Shoes | Whenever using power tools |
| Hearing Protection | Using rotary cutting tolls, jackhammers, etc. |
| Hair Restraint | Using rotary tools such as drills, saws, grinders, etc. |
| DO NOT wear gloves, ties or loose clothing or jewelry | Using rotary tools such as drills, saws, grinders, etc. |
Electrocution, burns and slight shocks, which can lead to injuries or even heart failure, are among the major hazards associated with electric power tools. Under certain conditions, even a small amount of current can result in fibrillation of the heart and eventual death. A shock also can cause the user to fall off a ladder or other elevated work surface.
To protect the user from shock, tools should have a three-wire cord with ground and be grounded, or the cord should be double insulated. Three-wire cords contain two current-carrying conductors and a grounding conductor. One end of the grounding conductor connects to the tool's metal housing. The other end is grounded through a prong on the plug.
Anytime an adapter is used to accommodate a two-hole receptacle, the adapter wire should be attached to a known ground. The third prong should never be removed from the plug. Double insulation is the more convenient of the two methods. The user and the tools are protected in two ways: by normal insulation on the wires inside and by a housing that cannot conduct electricity to the operator in the event of a malfunction.
To protect against electrical shock hazards, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends the use of a ground-fault circuit-interrupter (GFCI) with every power tool. A GFCI constantly monitors current flowing into a circuit to sense any loss of current. If the current flowing through two circuit conductors differs by a very small amount, the GFCI instantly interrupts the current flow to prevent a lethal amount of electricity from reaching the operator.
The operator may feel a painful shock but will not be electrocuted. Most of the 20-30 electrocution deaths each year associated with power drills, saws, sanders, hedge trimmers and other electric power tools could have been prevented if a GFCI had been used.