Safety Tidbit 7.08 - Pneumatic Impact Tool Safety

 

Safety Tidbit 7.08 – Pneumatic Impact Tool Safety

 

Reference: Jet Tools Pneumatic Impact Wrench User Manual

 

This Safety Tidbit was written by my student, Mr. Domenic Balmer – a senior in the Safety Sciences Program at the Indiana University of PA graduating in Spring 2022.

 

There are many hazards associated with using a pneumatic impact wrench. These hazards include the torque of the impact wrench, the use of proper protective equipment, how to choose the correct tool for the job, and lastly, how to tell if you are using dirty air.

 

First, let's cover the hazard associated with the wrench's torque. Pneumatic impact wrenches vary in size. With variants having maximum torque ranging from approximately 400 foot-pounds up to 1300 foot-pounds of torque. Due to the varying amounts of maximum torque, the wrenches required proper setup to avoid injury. If an incorrect posture occurs, one may find themselves attempting to use the wrench, and the wrench slips out of their hands due to the sudden torque or, even worse, may break a wrist or fingers.

 

Second is the hazards associated with using improper protective equipment (PPE). The proper PPE associated with this task includes non-slip shoes, mechanic gloves to increase grip, and safety goggles/glasses. If the worker does not wear the proper PPE, as mentioned above, the impact wrench could slip out of their hands, flying debris could get into their eyes, and they could even lose their balance and fall.

 

The third hazard is picking the correct tool for the job. Impact wrenches come in a variety of sizes. So the biggest one is not necessarily the best one. Selecting a wrench too large or too small could result in flying debris, torque-related injuries as stated above, and failure of the tool, causing it to blow apart. Choosing the correct impact wrench means picking an impact wrench that will take a bolt within 8 seconds without breaking the bolt head-off.

 

Lastly, the last hazard to discuss is using dirty air.  The hazards associated with using dirty air include but are not limited to the impact wrench will seize due to moisture getting in the wrench and loss of air pressure. When an impact wrench seizes, it may cause the user to overcompensate for torque and lose their balance and fall. On the other hand, if a loss of air pressure occurs, it will cause the impact wrench not to work effectively. It may cause the user to overcompensate or resort to using a giant impact wrench that has too much torque for the application.

 

Hope this was helpful and thank you for reading my Safety Tidbits! Comments and questions are always welcome. ~ Bryan

 

P.S. If you have a new safety or health question, please let me know.