Introduction to Health and Safety at Work

11.7 
User responsibilities
The responsibilities on users of work equipment are 
covered in section 7 of HSW Act and regulation 14 of the 
Management Regulations. Section 7 requires employees 
to take reasonable care for themselves and others who 
may be affected and to cooperate with the employer. 
Regulation 12 requires employees to use equipment 
properly in accordance with instructions and training. 
They must also inform employers of dangerous situ 
-
ations and shortcomings in protection arrangements. 
The self-employed who are users have similar responsi-
bilities to employers and employees combined.
11.8 
Hand-held tools
Work equipment includes hand tools and hand-held 
power tools. These tools need to be correct for the task, 
well maintained and properly used.
Hazards from the misuse or poor maintenance of 
hand tools include:
➤
broken handles on fi les/chisels/screwdrivers/ham-
mers which can cause cut hands or hammer heads 
to fl y off
➤
incorrect use of knives, saws and chisels with hands 
getting injured in the path of the cutting edge
Figure 11.7
Emergency stop buttons.

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Work equipment hazards and control
165
➤
tools that slip causing stab wounds
➤
poor quality uncomfortable handles that damage 
hands
➤
splayed spanners that slip and damage hands or 
faces
➤
chipped or loose hammer heads that fl y off or slip
➤
incorrectly sharpened chisels that slip and cut hands
➤
fl ying particles that damage eyes from breaking up 
stone or concrete
➤
electrocution or burns by using incorrect or dam-
aged tools for electrical work
➤
use of poorly insulated tools for hot work in catering 
or food industry
➤
use of pipes or similar equipment as extension han-
dles for a spanner which is likely to slip causing 
hand or face injury
➤
mushroom headed chisels or drifts which can dam-
age hands or cause hammers (not suitable for chis-
els) and mallets to slip
➤
use of spark producing or percussion tools in fl am-
mable atmospheres.