PORTABLE HANDHELD GRINDER

AUTHORISATION TRAINING

WELCOME

INTRODUCTION
Purpose
To instruct personnel on the use and care of
portable hand held grinders at Dungeness B
Objectives
To ensure candidates competence in the
inspection, use and care of portable hand held
grinders
Format
Slide show
Practical observation (Optional)

WHY ARE WE HERE?

PUWER
DNB/LSI/014/S021
Hot Work

All guards, equipment handles

and triggers guards
On power tools
Must not be removed or defeated

Recent Events

Grinders

The Rules
Side handle must be fitted.
Kevlar sleeves must be worn - Stores code
A862500
Deadmans handle (No lock on option)
Unplug it before you change discs.
Put it down - Before repositioning yourself,
wait until the disc has stopped, then place
the grinder in safe position.
All guards fitted and adjusted .

All rotating equipment and tools represent a hazard. Be aware of the

risks of entanglement, abrasion, flying objects, noise and vibration and
ensure the hazards are appropriately controlled.

RELEVANT
LEGISLATION
Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
Management of Health of Safety at Work Regulations 1999
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations1998
Noise at Work Regulations 1989
Personal Protective Equipment Regulations1992

Provision and Use of Work

Equipment (PUWER)
Regulation 9 Training
Every employer shall ensure that all persons who use
work equipment have received adequate training for the
purposes of Health & Safety, including training in the methods
which may be adopted when using the work equipment, any
risks which may entail and precautions taken.
Note - This is not trade training persons on this session MUST be deemed
as competent by their employers
AS ABOVE for employees who supervise or manage the trade skill
MUST confirm their competency as part of the setting to work process
Young persons MUST be subject to a special RA before allowed to use a
portable grinder

HASAWA 1974
Section 7.
It shall be the duty of every employee
while at work to take reasonable care for
the health and safety of himself and other
persons who may be affected by his acts or
omissions at work; and to co-operate with
his employer in order to enable statutory
health and safety requirements to be
complied with

TYPES OF WORK EQUIPMENT

USING ABRASIVE WHEELS?

HAZARDS
Coming into contact with moving parts of the
equipment (including abrasive materials).
Wheel/Disc bursting and material being ejected.
Abrasive and small particles coming into contact with
eyes.
Noise from equipment.
Vibration from equipment.
Kickback where the grinder is thrust away from the
work piece.
Inhalation of fumes and dusts from materials being
worked on.
Entanglement with loose items drawing grinder to the
operator
Electrocution (PAT TESTING )

ACCIDENTS
Contact Injuries 60%:
Touching wheel, burns, cuts, gashes, possible
Amputations, inadvertent, behavioural.
These can be prevented by training in the correct use.

Eye Injuries 30%:

Caused by lack of eye protection
Must be impact 1grade Goggles or Full face visor Grade 1B
These injuries can be prevented by wearing the correct PPE and
deploying the guard/deflector as trained

Burst Wheels 10%:

Various Causes, Manufacturing defect ,incorrect use, behavioural,
incorrect disc for application of work .

RIGHT TOOL FOR THE TASK

Is use of a portable angle grinder/cutter the right option for
task.
Has the grinder the following designed safety features?:
Soft start option (wherever possible)
Deadmans handle (incorporating auto disconnect lock on
facility). Deadmans handle is mandatory (If it comes with a
lock on switch this must never be engaged by the user).
Left and right hand operation as standard.
If the answer is no to any of the above, consult Industrial
Safety before proceeding

RIGHT TOOL FOR THE TASK

Is the size of the unit correct for the task consider weight,
ergonomic design, task position, extent of work, work
periods, rest periods, restricted working space?

Is the guard in place and set to correct position in good

condition and secure?

HOT WORK
Grinding /cutting is classed as hot work and will require a
hot work certificate
in accordance with BEG/SPEC/SHE/CSI/042 Hot Work

Control Measures
Guarding is provided to contain fragments of the wheel that
might fly off if it did burst so preventing injury to the user and
others in the workplace
The guards secondary use is deflection of the debris and sparks
away from the operator
Operators suitably trained in the correct handling and mounting
of abrasive wheels (This is for portable grinders only)
Correct mounting will reduce the risk of bursting.

Guard Fitted

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

Mandatory PPE requirement
Kevlar Sleeves
Wide vision goggles, Offer eye protection and also prevent dust and debris entering
users eyes or/and Full face visor as an alternative offers full face protection but is not
sealed against dust and debris
impact rated to BS grade 1 or EN grade B
Consideration should be given full face fitted respiratory units or indirect vented
goggles to prevent dust ingress
Heavy duty gloves (Riggers leather) as a compromise is required that allows user to
hold and maneuver the grinder during use
Rated for mechanical protection
EN 388
Abrasion rated

3 or greater

Cut rated

4 or greater

Tear

2 or greater

Puncture

1 or greater

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE
EQUIPMENT
A Kevlar fibre knitted sleeve with or without the cowhide split leather
reinforcement on each arm
Hearing defenders due to high noise levels
Fire retardent workwear close fitting, no loose cords that may become
entangled and draw the angle grinder/cutter into the user
Long hair/jewellery - tied back/made secure

Task risk assessment may require further protection: Hood to protect against particles been ejected or bounced back in
restricted spaces
Respirator when the material or coatings may be harmful to the operator
Leather apron/jacket may offer protect to lower body and chest area
(although may not be practical)

Grinders and use on Non ferous

items
Abrasive (grinding wheel) composition may be compromised by the heat
generated by a "clogged" wheel. The heat is usually carried away from the
wheel in the metal it removes, but a clogged wheel becomes a heat generator
and the metal adhered to the wheel seals the heat in, therefore you could see a
wheel explosion when the material is in contact with the wheel.

Examples of material that will clog discs

Copper
Brass
Aluminium
Paint coatings

Always select the right disc for the material to

be worked on if in doubt refer to manufacturer

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

Heavy duty rigger gloves
are suitable the gloves must
be flexible so as not to
compromise the feel of the
user

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

The disposable dust mask will only give non
hazardous dust protection
(Use a Non disposable with correct filter
attached for hazardous material)

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

Kevlar & Leather sleeves
Worn when using grinders
may be worn over or
under overall sleeves

Heavy duty gloves

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

3M9925 / 8835

Impact grade 1B goggles

GUARDS
All moving parts of work equipment must be suitably guarded.
If adjustable guards are fitted they must always be adjusted prior to use and never removed.
Check guard for cracks wear or other damage.
Clean inside of guard before installing new wheel.
Confirm the guard has been adjusted and locked.

GUARDS
Automatic Blade Guard - Portable Cut-Off Saw

Not covered under

the requirements

GUARDS

Guard Fitted

GUARDS

No Guard can be fitted to this type of

tool therefore totally reliant on safe
method of operation and PPE worn.

Not covered under these

requirements

GUARDS CONSEQUENCES OF NOT

USING!!!!
Task: Cut reinforcing bars from box-out in
concrete wall.

Unknown persons previously using the tool

removed an angle grinder guard.

Work Equipment: 4 Angle grinder fitted with

steel cutting disc.

The operative went to stores to collect an angle

grinder, the only one available had its guard
removed he took it anyway.

Personnel: Experienced General Labourer

trained in abrasive wheels.

The operative requested a new pair of gloves

from the stores but the expected delivery hadnt
arrived yet.
Instead of continuing to use the gloves he
already has the operative doesnt wear
gloves whilst carrying out the task.

Accident happens, and operative received

injuries which resulted in him losing sections of
his fingers and becoming disabled for the
remainder of his life.

REMEMBER USER INSPECTIONS

Portable Hand
Held Grinders
Inspect grinder housing to ensure no cracking/breakage
Ensure that the cable is free from cracking/burning/broken
sheath and that the plug is in good condition
Must be 110 volts & Pat Tested
Discs inspected and in good condition (correct disc speed
for grinder
Second Handle fitted
No exposed wires or lacerations on the cable

Practical Test
The operators training history MUST be confirmed as having covered the use
of portable angle grinders/cutters
This session is an assessment not a training course.

Competent assessor (List of requirement below)

A selection of discs size/cutting/grinding /material specific/
All specified mandatory PPE
Grinder (Approved version)

Practical Test
Under observation
If a group session ask each person to do separate checks
and others to comment
Request operator to complete grinder inspection for obvious defects
Once inspections are completed ask operator to don required PPE
Request operator to adjust the guard on the grinder (Not plugged in)
Request operator to change the disc on the grinder
Request operator to place grinder down as per the design (On its back
disc upwards)
Discuss as group or an individual the session and any learning from it
Ask for any further points missed from the session that would improve it

SUMMARY
Abrasive wheels use is covered by the Provision
and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998
You must be trained and deemed competent.

This training is not abrasive wheel training.

You must wear the correct PPE
Do not defeat safety devices (guards, side handle
etc)
If you are unsure, STOP and ask.

THANK YOU
ANY QUESTIONS?