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Anet  
#1 Posted : 13 March 2024 16:58:46(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
Anet

Hi all, 

I would like to ask what are  your  thoughts on grinders pre-use inspection sheets? At my current work  there is no re-use check sheets for grindrrs and workers are instructed to only do a visual inspectrion that is not documeted. We lready had 2 incidents resulting with serious cuts while using grinders but my managmnets is ok for obnly visual inspections but I am trying to implement the pre-use check sheets.

Let me know how  this is at  your workplace being managed. 

PDarlow  
#2 Posted : 14 March 2024 10:51:33(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
PDarlow

Hi Anet,

I shall give a brief of what our workshop engineers do, this is only in relation to portable handheld equipment.

Our maintenance engineers carry out visual checks and is not recorded - why drown yourself in files of paperwork. Engineers are all trained and competent to carry out visual checks before use and will carry out any maintenance if necessary periodically. The frequency depends on workload.

We have had no reported incidents regarding the abrasive wheels in my time here - 6 years.

In relation to the accidents you mention, what has the investigation identified? I would recommend reviewing training records, organising refreshers if needed.

Establish if there is any monitoring or supervision that takes place. In my mind there is no need for operators to be supervised and monitored 24-7 if operators are deemed competent, however, periodic checks in way of supervised monitoring is worthwhile to ensure any control measures are being followed - this is standard practice.

Is correct PPE being worn,? especially face and eye protection in the event of wheels shattering.

This is a snapshot of how it is managed at my workplace. Others may well have further input which should be considered.

As long as you meet requirements to satisfy PUWER regulations, and electrical safety, you'll be on the right track.

Paul

thanks 1 user thanked PDarlow for this useful post.
Anet on 14/03/2024(UTC)
firesafety101  
#3 Posted : 14 March 2024 11:18:45(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
firesafety101

Hi, in my experience portable hand held grinders are too easy to use and abuse.  Anyone who picks up such a tool can figure out how it works and use it wothout adequate protection and when a disc needs to be changed it is not difficult to work out how to change it.

Question is are they doing it properley, without training they don't know. Without a checkist how can they do a proper pre-use check/test ?

Always ensure users especially those who change discs have received Abrasive wheels training from an approved source.

Regarding PPE always ensure people in the vicinity of abrasive grinders have eye protection as pieces of broken discs can travel a long long way.  I speak from experience.

Do your workers purchase such tools from DIY stores and use them right out of the box without test and inspection?

thanks 1 user thanked firesafety101 for this useful post.
Anet on 14/03/2024(UTC)
peter gotch  
#4 Posted : 14 March 2024 13:10:31(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
peter gotch

Hi  Anet

I think the advice from Paul is sound.

You have had two accidents on grinders but do you know what both the immediate and underlying causes of these were?

Would actually recording a visual inspection on a checklist make any difference to the chance of a further accident, or is this just likely to be something which is a tick box exercise?

thanks 2 users thanked peter gotch for this useful post.
Anet on 14/03/2024(UTC), PDarlow on 25/03/2024(UTC)
Kate  
#5 Posted : 14 March 2024 17:24:40(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Kate

I agree with the comments above - it seems unlikely that not recording the check would be a cause of the incidents.  Instead of coming up with this as a solution, the logical thing is to find out what caused the incidents and then address that (and it may or may not relate to the checks).

My experience of recording checks is that it results in people ticking the checks off retrospectively  - it doesn't make them any more likely to actually do the checks unless either there is an element of checking the checks, or they have been convinced that both doing and recording the checks matters in some way.

Anibal Williamson  
#6 Posted : 19 March 2024 06:33:29(UTC)
Rank: New forum user
Anibal Williamson

Unless there is some component of checking the checks or they have been persuaded that both performing and recording the checks matter in some manner, in my experience, people are more likely to retrospectively tick them off when they record them than when they actually do them.

Kate  
#7 Posted : 19 March 2024 17:23:36(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Kate

I hear an echo

thanks 1 user thanked Kate for this useful post.
peter gotch on 19/03/2024(UTC)
peter gotch  
#8 Posted : 20 March 2024 17:23:43(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
peter gotch

Hi Kate

At the second time of looking I also noticed the link to "Anibal" website.

REPORTED.

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