Florida Land Cruiser Association

For some of us, working with power tools is a common action. We now have tools that we take on the trail with us. We use these tools in situations that would not be considered ideal. And too often we try to hurry the work and think we will survive.

Following is a recap of a death to a person using a hand grinder with a cut-off wheel.

An air-powered angle grinder was being used to cut into cast iron with a cut-off wheel. The cut-off wheel fractured during use and a large fragment of the wheel went through the person's face shield and into the person's face. The person died as a result of the injury.

According to the manufacturer's specifications, the angle grinder is designed to operate at a pressure of 85 psi. The grinder has a built-in governor that limits its maximum speed to 7,600 rpm. The grinder appeared to be functioning according to the manufacturer's specifications.

At the time of the incident, the cut-of wheel was secured to the grinder's drive spindle with a depressed center-backing flange designed to fit grinding wheels having depressed centers.

The following factors contributed to the incident:
To allow the grinder to be used in tight and awkward locations, its guard had been removed.
The grinder's accessory side handle had been removed, limiting the person's ability to safely hold and position the grinder.
The cut-off wheel was rigid and flat, not suited for a depressed center-backing flange.
The cut-off wheel was larger in diameter than what the grinder was designed for.
The cut-off wheel's maximum safe operating speed of 4,500 rpm was less than the 7,600-rpm operating speed of the grinder.
The cut-off wheel may have been subjected to sideways forces during use and the curved backing flange may have forced the flat wheel into a curve.
The way that grinding wheels were being stored may have damaged them due to mishandling.

As a result, the following recommendations were made and apply to all users of air-powered grinders:
Use manufacturer-supplied grinder guards at all times.
Select the correct grinding wheel based on the operating speed of the grinder, the type of grinder being used, and the type of work being performed.
Use personal protective equipment.
Inspect, discs, and wheels for damage at the time they are being used.
When you lie the tool down, and if the disk hits the ground or anything hard, change the disk, it could very well be cracked.

Look at the things that contributed to the incident. Seems the person could have taken a few simple steps to prevent this. When you are doing your own work or that for a friend, you are in charge of your actions. You have the decision for your own safety. Know your tools and know your ability. Don’t short cut safety.

I have to say of all the tools in my garage my electric right angle grinder is the one I respect the most. I had it try to get away from me while using a knotted wire wheel to clean my cruiser knuckles. The closest pair of gloves happened to be my gauntlet welding gloves so I put them on and went to work, a few seconds later the gloves saved saved my flesh knuckles from certain doom. Buying new gloves certainly beats going to the ER to reassemble your hand.

I have tested helmets, seatbelts, and a multitude of various safety devices at work and at home, nothing can hold a candle to taking your time and thinking ahead for potential risks. if you hear your little voice "this might not be a good idea" LISTEN! and do it differently.

Bret,
You have identified a major flaw in all humans: we seem to never LISTEN to that little voice that says: "this doesn't feel right". Intuition, gut feel, they tell us to think again, and take the time to review. We have a saying at work: ZERO TODAY: no injuries. Plan your work. Think about what you will be doing now. If the situation changes, reassess. The time it takes will always be less than the time in the emergency room.
GAry