10 Hand Saw Safety Tips

Man cutting a board with a handsaw

A hand saw is a manual tool that consists of a sharp blade primarily used to cut wood. Hand saws are widely used in many industries, but they can cause accidents and injury when improperly used. Follow the below safety tips when you are using a hand saw.

1. Wear a Safety Mask and Goggles

When you use a hand saw, there is always a risk of splinters flying. Sometimes the object being sawed may rebound and hit the person operating the hand saw. To protect your face and eyes, you must always wear a safety mask and eye protection.

2. Use a Tool of the Right Size

Hand saws are available in different sizes and capacities. Before you start using the hand saw, you must properly assess the stock in question. Avoid using hand saws that are too big or too small for the project.

3. Inspect Hand Saw before Every Use

Before you use a hand saw, inspect it thoroughly for any signs of damage. If the handle is loose, or the blade is bent or broken, or if there are missing blade teeth, you must not use the hand saw. Also ensure that no one else uses the tool by marking it as unsafe.

4. Check Material for Knots or Nails

Knots, metal pieces, nails and screws in the stock may damage the blade. It can also cause buckling of the hand saw, which can lead to injury. Avoid such situations by properly inspecting the stock beforehand.

5 - Never Test Sharpness with Hands

You must never test the sharpness of a hand saw with your hand or any other part of your body. Doing so may result in cuts and injury.

6 - Start Slowly

To prevent buckling and rebound of the hand saw, you must always start off slowly. Use long, even strokes to start cutting the material.

7. Ensure that the Material is Kept Firmly in Place

To avoid serious injury, it is crucial to hold the stock firmly in place. Use a vise or a clamp for this purpose if the object is really heavy or large. You can use your free hand to hold smaller objects, provided you wear thick gloves to protect your hand from the motion of the hand saw. You can also ask an assistant to hold objects in place.

8. Keep the Hand Saw Clean

For the tool to operate properly, you must keep it clean at all times. Also inspect it for damage and have it repaired or replaced, as required.

9. Store in a Safe Place

You must store your hand saw in a safe, enclosed place. This will keep it away from the wrong people. Also, you must keep children away from the vicinity when you are operating a hand saw.

10. Use Full Length Strokes Directed Away from Your Body

For more stability and to get the best results, at each stroke, run the hand saw along the full length of its blade. Direct the tool away from your body and maintain a safe, comfortable distance at all times.