Safety alert on cutting discs

[brightspark]

What if I'm left handed?
I'll put the handle where it works for me and move the guard round.
This manufactures bias toward you right handed freaks really ****** me off!

What about the drills that have the switch lock button on on the left of the handle? Right where the Palm of my hand is so it gets unintentionally pushed in and locked on! ******* dangerous.

same here locking buttons on switches are dangerous and I cut them off and I have the handles on right hand side on too. I'm left handed

 

[Pete.]

What if I'm left handed?
I'll put the handle where it works for me and move the guard round.

Well I'm right handed but I can't see how someone can not hold a grinder in either hand especially since you're using both to grip a handle anyway. It's not like you rely on small motor function which is the thing that causes people to favour one hand over another.

There are several problems with putting the handle on the right
1. The wheel is firing everything towards your hand
2. If it jams it'll drag your knuckles into the work.
3. If you're making a vertical cut at or below head height and it snatches it can pull the handle out of your right hand and you get a face full of spinning grinder.

 

[Pete.]

As a matter of fact if you're right handed you'll switch handles when switching from a vertical cut to a horizontal one.

 

[brightspark]

cant exactly say ive had any bother with a grinder in 45 years.a few bust discs being careless and a bit of burnt skin . so I don't realy need to be told how to use a grinder or what hand to use it in either . . do what suits u best- the same as I do

 

[Appyasme1]

There is a thread on the forum that talks about discs.Again Klingspor to me, is of the best,bit concerned about cutting the locking button off

 

[brightspark]

There is a thread on the forum that talks about discs.Again Klingspor to me, is of the best,bit concerned about cutting the locking button off

u wouldn't if u were left handed and the -drill -kept on going after it -grabbed and ripped out of your hand nearly breaking your wrist and hitting u in the face .locking switches are banned or at least they were in ici

 

[ronan]

u wouldn't if u were left handed and the -drill -kept on going after it -grabbed and ripped out of your hand nearly breaking your wrist and hitting u in the face .locking switches are banned or at least they were in ici

Yes i agree locking switches are dangerous. A lad i used to work with had a massive scar along his forearm, where it was destroyed by a drill he was using locking when he was drilling some brass, he couldn't get to the switch to release it and he wound up with some serious injuries.

 

[Pete.]

cant exactly say ive had any bother with a grinder in 45 years.a few bust discs being careless and a bit of burnt skin . so I don't realy need to be told how to use a grinder or what hand to use it in either . . do what suits u best- the same as I do

I'm not, but in demolition I've seen/seen the results of some nasty accidents. A guy tried to fit a blade with the handle under his arm and the machine plugged in. He squeezed the trigger and cut all the tendons across his hand. Another guy working off a ladder cut a pipe then let go the trigger handle to pass the grinder to someone with it still spinning down. The side handle un-screwed half a turn, the grinder rotated around and cut into his forearm. Another guy cut a live cable and went to hospital with severe facial burns. Another guy had time off where he rashed his whole arm without realising it cutting concrete blocks and that was from having the handle on the right. He looked like he had run a belt sander up his arm. Seen several people smashed in the chops or the shoulder by the guard.

A lot of main contractors won't allow locking switches on site. I have a 4" grinder that has a sliding switch on top - not allowed anywhere near site.

 

[brightspark]

Yes i agree locking switches are dangerous. A lad i used to work with had a massive scar along his forearm, where it was destroyed by a drill he was using locking when he was drilling some brass, he couldn't get to the switch to release it and he wound up with some serious injuries.

another time I was using a wood auger and it happened caught my jeans twisted em up ripped and nearly took my little man off. bruised and cut was a lucky escape

 

[Wendelspanswick]

I pre score sheet work and then just let the cutting disc do its own work along the guide eh not wheeling it back and forwards.

Your better off wheeling it back and forwards so that your just using the edge, if you let the blade sink into the cut and the cut closes it grabs the whole disc rather than just the edge. The disc lasts longer as well as the material isn't digging into the edge of the disc.

I have a Silverline 9" that's I've abused for years and that has a revolving rear handle for comfort, I must have had the grinder for 18 months before I realised that by pulling a catch I could twist the rear handle!

 

[Appyasme1]

How often would all the machines we are discussing be checked for safety.Do the have a re-call date,are they PAT tested

 

[Wendelspanswick]

How often would all the machines we are discussing be checked for safety.Do the have a re-call date,are they PAT tested

Is every electrical device in your house PAT tested?

 

[brightspark]

pat tested in schools every year in industry checked every day . hire checked before hire home jack sh....it at work I wont let apprentices loose with drills and auger bits just carbide drills for rawlplugs

 

[Jim Davey]

What if I'm left handed?
I'll put the handle where it works for me and move the guard round.
This manufactures bias toward you right handed freaks really ****** me off!

What about the drills that have the switch lock button on on the left of the handle? Right where the Palm of my hand is so it gets unintentionally pushed in and locked on! ******* dangerous.

learn to swap hands then. It's not that hard to do once you're used to it. Got to be safer than trying to use a tool designed for right handed use in an unsafe manner, or replace the tool with something you can operate easily with your favoured hand.

 

[brightspark]

learn to swap hands then. It's not that hard to do once you're used to it. Got to be safer than trying to use a tool designed for right handed use in an unsafe manner, or replace the tool with something you can operate easily with your favoured hand.

another right hander- ive never found a problem so go preach somewhere else . nothing personal mate

 

[Kent]

It's far from uncommon and one should expect it
Sometimes it's a pinch sometimes a damaged disc sometimes a brain lapse

If you don't cut with both hands and proper ppe your just nuts

 

[Pete.]

another right hander- ive never found a problem so go preach somewhere else . nothing personal mate

You gotta stop dishing out those right-hander's mate

 

[brightspark]

You gotta stop dishing out those right-hander's mate

it can be handy sometimes been a leftie -.threaten someone with your right hand fist and they keep an eye on it then bat em with a left hook

 

[Appyasme1]

Ok take on board you dislikes of locking switches.Why do the manufactrues fit them and where do H&SE come into it.If the equpment is not fit for purpose why is it on the market

 

[Kent]

it can be handy sometimes been a leftie -.threaten someone with your right hand fist and they keep an eye on it then bat em with a left hook

Right handers should lead with thier left finish with thier right and vice versa for South paw
Of course you can mix it up. Either way can land you in jail though