5 min. read, Jan 2024
Health and safety is more than just a box to tick
As one of the most popular tools on the jobsite, angle grinders can pose a risk when not used correctly. To minimise risk and ensure the safety of your workplace you need the right tools for the job – especially when it comes to angle grinder safety.
A construction site can be a hazardous environment in which failing to take the right precautions can cause harm to workers and negatively affect your company’s productivity. Figures from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) show that fatal accidents on construction sites rose by 50% in the last year.
Grinders are a potential tool which present a range of risks including dust production and kickback. Read on to find out more about these risks and how the Hilti grinder range incorporates features specifically designed to promote health and safety on your job site.
DUST
Using a grinder on concrete is unavoidably messy. Whether you are making a straight cut or chamfering an edge down to an angle, you are creating dust which can be detrimental to people’s health.
The HSE estimates that as many as 4,500 people die each year around the world from conditions related to inhaling the silica dust that comes off concrete. Illnesses including lung cancer, silicosis, asthma and other pulmonary disorders can result if even a small amount of dust reaches the lungs.
Hilti has developed a solution that is virtually dust free. By clipping our chamfer hood onto the Hilti DGH 130 Diamond Grinder and attaching it to a vacuum cleaner, you can automatically remove dust as it is created without any human contact. Used in conjunction with our new turbo cup wheel, it also reduces vibrations and gives you a greater level of control over the tool – another useful safety benefit.
KICKBACK
When an angle grinder jams it can be unpredictable and dangerous, potentially kicking back in any direction and posing a danger to the user. Hilti grinders incorporate a dedicated technological innovation that is designed to offer heightened protection in just this scenario.
Active Torque Control (ATC) will immediately stop the disk from spinning uncontrollably if it jams, kicks back and suddenly leaves the working area. It works by incorporating a suite of advanced sensors and a motor brake into products like the Hilti AG 6D-22 grinder to create a safer working tool.
INNOVATIVE ERGONOMICS AND SENSTECH
Finally, Hilti grinders feature a range of ergonomic improvements that make them not only easier to use than the alternatives, but also better for angle grinder safety. Our grinders are designed with lighter, slimmer bodies which offer more precise control and make the tool less tiring for the user. This is true even in tighter and more awkward spaces which are normally more demanding, offering an enhanced level of safety.
Additionally, we have replaced the lock-on switch found in many grinders with our SensTech technology. With SensTech, removing your hand from the tool will immediately kill the power – a much safer dead-man’s switch method which can make the difference in a dangerous situation.
Health and safety on the job site is the number one priority and the tools you choose can make a big contribution to getting it right. Hilti’s grinder range utilises technological and engineering innovations to provide the safest, most reliable tools available to help you minimise risk and improve productivity.
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