Hand and portable tools

Main risks

• Cuts and punctures. Knives, saws, chisels, cutting discs and tools with damaged or unprotected edges.
• Impacts and projections. Hammers and mallets, heads with burrs, loose handles, projection of particles, chips and fragments of discs or drill bits.
• Entrapment and contact with moving parts. Discs, drill bits, chains and blades of portable tools, kickback of saws and grinders.
• Electrical contact. Damaged cables and plugs, use in humid environments, lack of double insulation or differential protection.
• Hand-arm vibrations. Continuous exposure to percussion and rotary tools, with risk of hand-arm vibration syndrome; Royal Decree 1311/2005 sets an action value of 2.5 m/s2 and a limit value of 5 m/s2 for eight hours.
• Noise, dust, and fumes. Noisy tools, dust generation (silica, wood), and fumes from cutting and welding.
• Ergonomics. Strain, awkward postures , repetitive movements, and unsuitable handles are the origin of musculoskeletal disorders.
• Fire and explosion. Sparks from grinders and thermal tools in the presence of flammable materials or explosive atmospheres.

Safety conditions for hand tools

INSST Technical Prevention Notes 391, 392 and 393 summarize the safety principles: select the appropriate tool for the task and the person, with an ergonomic design (correct size and shape handles, non-slip materials, balanced weight); check their condition before use and remove any damaged ones (cracked handles, burrs on the heads, chipped edges, damaged insulation); use them only for their intended function, without improvisation or extensions; transport and store them safely (tool belts, sheaths, panels and tidy boxes); and maintain a program for inspection, sharpening, repair or replacement.

Hand tools also require attention to personal protective equipment (cut-resistant gloves, safety glasses, safety footwear), training on correct usage techniques, and work organization to reduce repetitiveness and effort.

Safety conditions for portable tools

• Conformity and suitability. CE marking, instruction manual, original safety guards and devices, and suitability for work and the environment (humidity, explosive atmospheres) in accordance with Royal Decree 1215/1997.
• Guards and devices. Disc and blade guards, dead man switches, brakes, safety clutches, auxiliary handles and extraction systems; must not be disabled or removed.
• Electrical safety. Double insulation or earthing, differential protection, cables and plugs in good condition, safe voltages in humid environments, and safely managed lithium conductors and batteries.
• Accessories. Discs, drill bits and blades suitable for the tool and material, with maximum compatible speed and correct mounting.
• Maintenance and inspection. Recorded periodic checks, repair by competent personnel and immediate removal of defective tools.
• Use and training. Instructions for use, specific training, prohibition of use by unauthorized personnel and appropriate protective equipment (eye, hearing, respiratory, anti-vibration gloves where applicable).
• Exposure to physical agents. Evaluation and control of vibrations and noise, with job rotation, time limits for use and selection of low-emission tools.

Organizational application: how to manage the tools

1. Inventory hand and portable tools by position and task, identifying those with the highest risk (cutting, rotation, percussion, vibration) and checking their compliance and their manuals.
2. Evaluate the risks of each tool in its context of use, including vibrations, noise, dust and ergonomic factors, and define the technical and organizational measures.
3. Establish selection and purchase criteria (ergonomics, low vibration and noise, protections, extraction) and a procedure for removing damaged tools.
4. Implement an inspection and maintenance program with pre-use checks by the user and periodic reviews recorded by competent personnel.
5. Train and inform people about the correct use, protections, personal protective equipment and exposure time limits to vibrations.
6. Organize the safe storage and transport of tools and maintain order in the workplaces.
7. Investigate accidents and incidents involving tools, review the assessment, and update the measures.

Preventive management software allows you to maintain the inventory of tools and equipment, schedule and record inspections and reviews, manage the delivery and renewal of protective equipment, record training by tool type, and analyze associated accidents and incidents.

Limits and common mistakes

1. Consider tools and equipment as risk-free and exclude them from assessment, training, and maintenance.
2. Remove or disable guards and safety devices on portable tools to gain speed.
3. Using damaged, improvised or unsuitable tools for the task (wrenches as hammers, cutting discs for grinding).
4. Ignoring tool vibrations and noise in the evaluation and not limiting usage times.
5. Working without eye protection and without suitable gloves, or with gloves on rotating tools where they pose a risk of entrapment.
6. Failure to record inspections or effectively remove defective tools.

The specific measures depend on each tool, task and environment; this sheet is for informational purposes only.

Regulatory and reference framework

• Royal Decree 1215/1997, of July 18. Minimum health and safety requirements for the use of work equipment, including tools.
• Royal Decree 1644/2008, of October 10. Rules for the marketing and commissioning of machines; portable motorized tools.
• Royal Decree 773/1997, of May 30. Use of personal protective equipment.
• Royal Decree 1311/2005, of November 4. Protection against risks arising from exposure to mechanical vibrations; hand-arm vibration.
• Royal Decree 286/2006, of March 10. Protection against risks related to exposure to noise.
• NTP 391. Hand tools (I): General safety conditions . INSST criteria on the design, use and maintenance of hand tools.
• NTP 392. Hand tools (II): General safety conditions . Continuation of the criteria on hand tools.

Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 on machinery will replace Directive 2006/42/EC, transposed by Royal Decree 1644/2008, from 20 January 2027.